Spiral Tangents
by wordhammer
Summary: Steamy vignettes from Harry Potter story 'Holly Evans and the Spiral Path'; Rated M for sex, violence and/or weirdness. Spiral references at the top of each chapter, so you know where it fits in the story.
1. Intro and Scorecard

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work.

Spiral Tangents Introduction and Scorecard - Updated 10th November, 2009

**Summary**: Steamy vignettes from Holly Evans and the Spiral Path; Rated M for sex, violence, disturbing imagery and/or weirdness. Spiral references at the top of each chapter, so you know where it fits in the story.

There are a number of events mentioned or hinted at in the Spiral Path that others may want detailed but that Holly would never include in her journal. To allow for a more complete telling of the story, these events are related here. Rated MATURE. No holds barred. We call them Spiral Tangents.

Each chapter is a standalone but fits into the continuity of the main story. Hopefully they'll appear in order, but sometimes the muse wishes to speak of times past. Background info will be provided at the beginning of the chapter, including where it occurs within the chronology of the main story. Hopefully I'll remember not to include essential story elements in these, as they are here to enhance the story. Each chapter is dated; '9311 - Glorious' occurs in November of 1993.

**Author's Other Note**: There are links in my profile to pics I've used as inspiration for Holly and Newt, as nearly everyone else you can fill in with the actors or your own imagination. These show pretty well how I see these characters as of Chapter 24 'Define FUBAR'. If you're wondering who the girl is, Google for 'met art Jade'- she's a European erotic model (NC-17, you follow?). In fact it was difficult finding a picture of her wearing clothes...

No copyright infringement intended, so I posterized the pictures- using someone else's work is bad; recoloring someone else's work is art. Just ask Andy Warhol. Besides, by referring back to the source they may make more money. If you're suddenly saying to yourself "Gosh wordhammer, you're kinda pervy!", my response would be "Umm, yeah. Have you read the story? Anything after Chapter 12 should make that clear."

Just for clarity, I will provide a scorecard of sexual preference as it is revealed in the main story. This will be updated periodically as more info is uncovered or circumstances change. Keeping in mind Florean Fortescue's guide to ice cream in Chapter 16, don't be surprised if something declared here isn't an absolute and subject to change over time.

**Women**

- Hermione is straight, mostly. Holly was working to bend her a bit, but it backfired when Hermione was put under Compulsion to reject both Holly and lesbianism. Hermione's feeling much better now, though still 90% boy-fond.

- Holly/Harry is...mentally agile. After much experimentation, Holly is bisexual though more lesbian and Harry's just straight but not easily offended. To be less label-centric, Lily's child thinks the anal thing is just a poor substitute for the proper hole but is willing to play with whatever parts are available, as long as there is mutual consent. Our hero can fall in love with almost anyone found to be worth the trust, but that's a very small population so far.

- Luna isn't right ...in the head. Aside from that she's happily gay though frustrated by the limited market.

- Marietta Edgecomb is gay but Cho Chang isn't, much to her frustration

- Padma Patil experimented with Marietta, but is playing with Dean now; she may have Dom/Sub tendencies

- Pansy Parkinson may have been straight but has been traumatised to the point of rejecting sex altogether

- Most every other girl at Hogwart's is straight-ish as far as the story is concerned, aside from some unnamed Ravenclaws from 3+ years ahead of Holly. (Seriously; the Chasers, Davis and Greengrass, Bones and Abbott, Brown and Patil are just buddies, and leave Millicent alone)

- Newt is a lizard-shaped blob of ink, though she identifies herself as female. That said, Newt's just pervy enough to enjoy recounting the tale whatever she sees. She 'achieves rapture in writing about sex'

- Nymphadora (call me Natalia) Tonks is polysexual, as most metamorphs are ('poly-' has new meaning when you can be either gender to satisfy your partner's preference), though she can only bring about babies as a girl. One of her commonly-used male identities is Gordon Knot, a lanky 6' tall American bloke bearing more than passing resemblance to Edward Norton

- According to Tonks Veela are primarily bisexual, as are their daughters. We'll have to ask Fleur in a few chapters.

- Director of the DMLE Amelia Bones is possibly into rope-play and girls, but is a competent interrogator so that may have been a smokescreen to gain Holly's trust

- Lily Evans was straight enough to have sex with Severus Snape and Remus Lupin before marrying James Potter. Don't think of her as loose- it was the 70's, man.

**Men**

- Gilderoy Lockhart was a panderer but not entirely a pedophile, and straight. Now his skull is like the bottom of a bag of tortilla chips, so no more jollies for Locky

- Dean Thomas is straight and quite the player

- Oliver Wood is gay, and he has a gay study buddy in Gryffindor named Tim Dibney (OC of no other consequence)

- Colin Creevey is gay, or at least a stalker of famous boys

- Florean Fortescue is married, and seems to otherwise be very open-minded

- Ron has a tendency to draw the attention of gay men. It's a mystery.

- Draco is gay, though he hasn't acknowledged it yet

- Albus is gay, and never married

- Fred and George are straight, or at least not into each other or Lee Jordan enough to share a bed when under Dementor siege.

- Remus Lupin likes Tonks enthusiastically; Holly believes he's obsessed with Lily; either way, girls are OK for the wolf.

- Neville LIKES Holly

- Cedric is just dreeeeeaaamy

Everyone else I leave to the imagination until later.

For those who would accuse me of wasting chapter space with Author's Notes, I present a brief scene between Holly and Hermione during second year as they were brewing Polyjuice, rated PG for cattiness:

HG: I thought you said before that you wanted to be a hero?

HE: I want to stand up like an Amazon. I just...I can't stand the attention. I did want to be a hero, but modern heroes don't use their minds! The villains are all busy plotting, and the hero just stumbles into it and survives on luck. Well that, and the uncanny ability to get villains to describe their plans in detail when they think the hero is going to die, and I can hardly depend upon that. Besides which, heroes are usually gifted with 'powers beyond mortal ken!'

HG: As you have pointed out in the past, we are gifted.

HE: Yes, but we're all gifted, everyone involved. It re-levels the playing field. I think spy novels come closer to an analog for our situation. We're elite, moving through the masses that don't know what we do, to keep them safe from things they'll never hear about.

HG: "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?"

HE: Well, that would be the Gryffindor Chasers again ...oh, wait, you said the HEARTS of men.

HG: (giggling quite a bit) Yes, well! Pants, hearts, it's all the same at the end of the day!

Both: ...to Them!

**Author's intriguing but almost pointless factual add-on**:

The Age of Consent for sexual contact between willing partners (without commerce involved) varies depending on the country where the act occurs.

US varies depending on the state and the type of intercourse (MF, MM, FF): typically 16-18, though Iowa, Missouri and South Carolina allow for 14 if married MF (MM and FF are entirely illegal in those states)

Ireland: 17

UK, Belgium, Switzerland: 16

France, Denmark, Poland, Sweden: 15

Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada (except MM), Germany, Iceland, Italy, Romania: 14

Spain: 13

Netherlands: 12, though parents may have rights to overrule consent until 16

Mexico: 12 for MF, 18 for FF or MM

Yeah, I didn't actually have sex until I was 18, but it wasn't from a lack of intent and I broke the law when I did it. I assure you, that did not enhance the experience for me in the least. Nevertheless, stop squicking that Holly and Hermione started early. It isn't like it's inconceivable, and the Dutch might consider them late bloomers.


	2. 9311 Glorious

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work.

Spiral Tangent: Holly brings Hermione a night of Glorious pleasure

Placement: November 1993; Chapter 19 (read that first)

What you need to know: Holly Evans attends Hogwarts in place of Harry Potter. Hermione and she bonded over the Troll incident and other adventures. Holly is known to be much like her namesake- prickly and poisonous, but with Hermione she acts more normal. They have been sleeping next to each other at night due to the effect of Dementors laying siege to the castle by order of the Minister of Magic in hopes of catching the escaped convict Sirius Black. Holly has expressed a desire for Hermione recently that exceeds their close friendship despite Hermione's implied heterosexuality. However, Holly has also exhibited some strange biology as an after effect of the battle against the Basilisk the previous year.

**Events beginning 23rd November, 1993 12:52 AM**

Holly Evans and Hermione Granger are lying facing each other on Holly's four-posted bed in the Gryffindor 3rd year Girl's dorm. Hermione is dressed in a simple light blue button-front cotton short-sleeved nightgown. Holly is wearing a loose deep green satin night shirt with matching shorts. The room is unusually warm due to the over application of warming charms by Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, so Holly and Hermione have pushed their covers to the foot of the bed. The other residents of their room are sharing Lavender's bed and covers to offset the chilling influence of Dementors circling the Hogwarts grounds which seem to affect Holly and Hermione less. The Wizarding Wireless on Lavender's bedside table is quietly playing a classical guitar piece to help everyone sleep.

Hermione reaches over to brush some of Holly's hair away from her face, causing Holly to close her eyes and smile slightly. Hermione retracts her hand once her task is done, then waits until Holly's eyes open again.

**Hermione:** Holly, have you considered wearing more dresses instead of just colored undershirts and dungarees under your robes?

**Holly:** What, you're channeling Lavender now?

**Hermione:** I was thinking about ...our kiss.

Holly smiles.

**Holly:** I like this topic at least.

**Hermione:** Well, you seem to have some specific feelings for me, and I know they have been present for some time, but I was wondering if you had even considered whether you might be happy dating a boy.

**Holly: **Well, Dean Thomas and I sort of hit it off on the train, but he hasn't approached me and I haven't cared.

Holly gives Hermione a meaningful look. Hermione starts to play with strands of Holly's hair.

**Hermione: **Well, yes, well, what I was thinking is that he may find your ...usual personality a bit intimidating. If you were to wear your skirts again, maybe with the thigh-high stockings Neville gave you, you might appear less threatening. You might even find that you enjoy the attention.

**Holly:** So, in your mind I might see them more favorably if they saw and treated me more like a typical girl.

**Hermione: **Well, yes. It might do for you to feel more feminine around boys, for yourself and so they wouldn't be frightened off so easily.

**Holly:** True. I think Neville may question his own manhood when he's around me most days. It's tough when you're out-macho'ed by a little girl.

Hermione giggles.

**Holly:** Tell me Hermione; does having Ron stare at your breasts through your blouse or at your thighs when the wind kicks up your skirt actually make you feel more attractive?

**Hermione:** Actually, yes. It might surprise you to know, but I was not always thought of as a girl to be desired.

Holly giggles.

**Holly:** Fools, the lot of them! And does it make you feel more attractive ...when I stare at your breasts through your blouse?

**Hermione:** I usually assume you're trying to discreetly inform me that I have too many buttons undone or a spot of food on my lapel.

**Holly:** Well, it's no wonder you always looked worried! I do that six or seven times a day.

Holly reaches over to Hermione's forehead and rubs with her thumb at the space above Hermione's eyebrows where worry lines are starting to form.

**Hermione:** We _were_ talking about your fashion choices.

Holly looks down and away.

**Holly:** Hermione, I...I can't wear those things.

**Hermione:** Why not? You wore the uniform under your robes until this year. A dress would be lovely on you. You have great legs and toned arms. You're starting to develop into an attractive woman, at least your hips are. Mind, you haven't much on top yet but you can still draw some attention...

**Holly:** (suddenly angry) I know! Being almost raped again this summer pressed home that point quite succinctly!

Holly rolls out of the bed to stand away from her friend. Hermione rises up in the bed, reaching her hand to grip Holly's shoulder in sympathy. Holly moves to pull out of Hermione's grip, but Hermione holds her fast.

**Hermione:** Oh, Holly! I'm so sorry! When did this happen? What did you do?

**Holly:** I...

**Hermione:** How did you escape? Are you hurt at all?

**Holly:** Well...

**Hermione:** Who did it? Did they get caught? Have you seen a Healer?

**Holly:** Oooh!

In frustration, Holly turns around to the bed and jumps into Hermione, grabbing her head with both hands and kissing her solidly on the mouth until she stops protesting and just sits there agog. Holly leans back, still holding onto Hermione's head in her hands. Hermione is still looking a bit stunned but almost starts a new line of questioning that is interrupted with two fingers of Holly's hand applied on her lips. Hermione cocks an eyebrow in irritation.

**Holly:** I did that because you want answers but won't wait for them to be given before asking another question. If you continue to do this, I will insist upon kissing you like that in public. Often. It's a burden, but one I'm willing to shoulder.

**Hermione:** Cn I ssk uh qstyn nw?

Holly smiles and lets go of her friend's mouth.

**Hermione:** You really like me _in that way_, don't you?

Holly's cagey teasing expression melts into a look of longing.

**Holly:** (slowly and with careful enunciation) Breath_less_ly. Des_per_ate_ly_. Un_ques_ti_on_ab_ly_.

Hermione stops making little gasping noises at the extra syllables to put up a measure of protest, looking away from Holly as she does so.

**Hermione:** You know I don't...what I mean is you are...we aren't meant to...  
**Holly:** I will not assume anything. You have proven you care for me, which means more to me than anything else in this world. I have killed a serpent for you. If all you can give me is an endless supply of your wonderful hugs ...and forgiveness when I steal a kiss or two like I just did, I would still be overwhelmed enough that you care for this...creature I am becoming to die happy. But I'd like to do more.

**Hermione:** I...I...I...

**Holly:** I love you, too.

**Hermione:** I ...wasn't going to say that. Not that I don't; I just don't want to give you the wrong impression. Do you know what I mean?

**Holly:** Maybe, maybe not. I just meant that in addition to everything else I said, I also love you.

Holly moves forward again to kiss Hermione. Hermione leans back then sees the hurt look on Holly's face. Hermione looks away and back at Holly. This time Hermione leans forward to the edge of the bed and they meet in the middle, with both girls moving their lips against the other's for a moment. Holly breaks off the kiss and stands back to arms length again.

**Holly:** I know you wouldn't do this with anyone else, any other girl that is. What I want to know is, would you open your mind to the possibility of enjoying something more with me?

**Hermione:** But that's not the way I think of you.

**Holly:** Why not?

**Hermione:** I'm sorry?

**Holly:** Don't be sorry, just think about why you feel that way. Look, let's lie back down and relax. I hope you can trust me that we aren't going to do anything that will make you want to leave. I couldn't bear it if you couldn't be my friend enough to stay.

**Hermione:** Alright. There is no one I trust more than you, Holly. I am impressed with your restraint, actually. You've nearly held back all term on this, haven't you?

**Holly:** Sleeping two feet or less away from the one I want to kiss to sleep each night? No, it hasn't taken too much willpower...

Holly and Hermione share a restrained giggling laugh and lay back down in the bed facing each other. Holly pulls out her wand from under her pillow and points it at the bed to her right where Parvati and Lavender are cuddled against the Dementor's chill.

**Holly:** _Somnus. Silencioso._ That should keep them from being disturbed.

Hermione looks at Holly suspiciously.

**Hermione:** What are you up to?

Holly's light-hearted demeanor returns.

**Holly:** I am trying to seduce you. I'm warning you ahead of time so we can't consider it underhanded. If after listening to me for a few minutes all you can do is laugh I'll leave you alone about it.

**Hermione:** That seems fair.

**Holly:** Maybe this would make a good Occlumency exercise. I'd like you to try and isolate your thoughts, specifically about the societal formula of man plus woman makes baby and is happy, if for no other reason than it's a lie.

**Hermione:** (giggling) What are you talking about?

**Holly:** For the most part, Man beds Woman, Man is happy. Woman beds Man to make Man happy, and begins to plot how to make Man more like a woman. To keep Man interested, Woman beds Man many times, eventually making a baby. Woman has a new project, also feels like a bloated spawning bio-machine and Man is unhappy because Woman doesn't want to bed Man when she feels like that. Man is pressured into staying around for the gruesome metamorphosis of girly girl into infested whale, then Woman pops out little ugly version of Man, which Man promptly picks up and declares "Look what I made!" If Woman doesn't kill Man or Child, Woman returns to the previous task of making Man into a woman using baby for leverage, and starts bedding Man again when things get difficult and Man starts to look at other women. Rinse and repeat.

**Hermione:** You have (giggle) ...the worst seduction technique in history!

**Holly:** Thank you. I love you, too. Now, close your eyes. I want you to think on this.

Hermione closes her eyes with a disbelieving smirk.

**Holly:** I'd like you to envision a time and place where you don't need to think about the formula. You and I spend time together walking in empty sunlit fields.

[pause]

Holly reaches out to gently grasp Hermione's hand in her own.

**Holly:** We share our plans, our thoughts, our feelings.

[pause]

Holly shifts forward towards Hermione in the bed.

**Holly:** We allow our shared dreams to bring us together. We walk together, protecting each other from the uncaring world, because we care for each other.

Holly kisses Hermione once but slowly on her now slightly parted lips. Hermione's breath becomes audible. Holly licks her lips then continues in her low whisper

**Holly:** We touch each other in ways to bring pleasure, knowing to touch places in ways we like being touched.

Holly sees Hermione's lips anticipating her next movement, and applies her open mouth to Hermione's. Their lips come together seamlessly and Holly's tongue darts out to tease between Hermione's lips and teeth. Holly limits their french kiss to a fervent 10 seconds. Their clasped hands wrap together during the kiss, and Holly's other hand barely brushes against Hermione's knee at the end of the exchange.

**Holly:** Eyes stay closed.

[pause]

We come together to express an appreciation of what one means to the other, and to give each other a gift of loving pleasure with no obligation but to honestly enjoy oneself.

[pause]

Holly doesn't move, waiting for Hermione to make the next connection. A moment passes and Hermione's eyes open and lock onto Holly's. Holly connects with Hermione's mind in a Rapport for a long moment, long enough for Holly to send an emotional plea; _'let me love you'_.

**Hermione:** Okay, let me think a minute.

[pause]

Hermione rolls onto her back, closing her eyes to lay there in the moonlight. Holly stares as Hermione's breasts slowly rise and fall, pushing up the thin cotton at the unbuttoned opening of her nightdress. Hermione's eyes pop open suddenly.

**Hermione:** Right.

Holly is startled by Hermione's sudden movement to roll over Holly until she is lying on top of her with each of Holly's hands pinned under Hermione's grip. Hermione fairly shoves her tongue into Holly's mouth, causing the surprised girl to almost start giggling in joy, but Holly quickly responds in kind to Hermione's assault on her mouth, and the girls continue to snog passionately if clumsily for a good minute. Hermione then breaks the kiss and raises herself above Holly to gaze into her friend's green eyes. Hermione's arms are propping up her torso so that the opening in her nightdress reveals the curve of her breasts and the growing hardness in her nipples.

**Hermione:** I don't know if this is going to work out. I don't know if this is what I really want, but I see no reason not to explore these ...feelings we share for each other.

Holly smirks.

**Holly:** That's very reasonable of you.

Hermione's hair falls out of its loose plait to cascade around her head. The moonlight from the outside now lights the short space between their faces with shadows and filtered golden hues. Holly catches her breath in her throat. Their bodies are beginning to rest together comfortably, their legs resting between each other.

**Hermione:** Also, I'd like to point out that even if we do hit it off, I still want to explore this ...stuff with boys as well, and I think you should also.

Holly scowls slightly.

**Holly:** Me? Why?

**Hermione:** How can you say that you only want women if you've never tried it with a man? I don't mean the full monty, but you can at least explore if there is a boy out there that might 'rev your engine', otherwise your argument is only self-serving.

Holly smirks once more.

**Holly:** Hermione, it's sex, of course it's self-serving.

Hermione smiles and closes her eyes, nodding her head slightly at Holly's teasing. Holly takes that opportunity to rise from the mattress and presses her lips to Hermione's. Their kiss quickly grows deeper and Hermione lets her arms relax so that the two girls' bodies are able to intertwine in the heated embrace. This second extended kissing seems to flow better, with each girl allowing the other time to explore the kiss with their lips and tongue. Holly pulls away following a lingering pull on Hermione's lower lip.

**Holly:** And I don't 'only want women', I only want you.

Holly flips Hermione over to the side so that she can use her bare leg to wrap Hermione into a deeper tangle. Hermione leans in to recapture Holly's lips. Their arms shift and move over each other's body sustaining the close embrace. Their pelvises start rubbing against each other, eventually causing them to break from their passionate snog in a gasping duet of excitement.

**Holly:** Hermione, this is great and I want you to enjoy yourself, but I don't think you should try anything involving my vagina.

**Hermione:** What's wrong?

Holly reaches between their legs and pulls the remains of her pyjama shorts and knickers up between them and away, showing Hermione how they are rapidly falling apart due to Holly's excited secretions.

**Hermione:** I thought that things were getting unusually tingly. Oh, Holly this is so unfair!

**Holly:** Let me worry about that. I just want you to enjoy yourself. It makes me happy that way because I'm making you feel good.

Hermione sheds a single tear as Holly smiles and pushes Hermione flat on the bed. She starts to kiss her way down Hermione's body, unbuttoning the night dress until Hermione's young but full breasts are exposed to the moonlight. Holly licks and kisses her way around Hermione's tender chest as Hermione begins to breathe heavier again, causing her chest to rise into Holly's open mouth. Holly wraps her lips around Hermione's hardened left nipple and Hermione shrieks in a moment of surprised enjoyment. Holly's hands had been caressing Hermione's hips and flanks even as she rested her weight on her elbows, but now Holly moves her left hand up to cup Hermione's firm right breast as she continues to tease and lick the other breast to Hermione's pleasure. As Holly moves to kiss further down Hermione's body, she keeps her left hand caressing the outer curve of Hermione's right breast, using her thumb to tease the stiff nipple. Hermione's gasps indicate the motion is appreciated. Holly pushes her own chest down to splay out Hermione's legs beneath her. Holly uses her own hardened nipples poking beyond the opening in her satin nightshirt to tease Hermione's swollen crotch, twisting her torso so that her left nipple rubs against Hermione's clitoris as she concurrently bites gently on Hermione's lowest rib. Hermione yelps once more and her breathing comes shallow and quickens. Holly takes a moment to sit up enough to remove her nightshirt and pull away the broken up remains of Hermione's knickers using a flick of her sharpened quilltip finger to cut through the waistband. Hermione also pulls off her now-tattered night dress, exposing her naked body to Holly's appreciative gaze. Hermione stops, a feeling of embarrassment overcoming her that causes her to cover her breasts with her arms and let her head droop as she draws her legs up and knees together.

**Hermione:** Are you sure you want ...me? I'm not especially attractive. My breasts aren't that big and they're uneven. I have bushy hair...

**Holly:** Wild and untamed, but not where it matters. Did you forget having shorn yourself down here? There isn't a hair to be found!

**Hermione:** I mean it Holly! I'm...ohhhhh.

Holly interrupts Hermione's latest protest by slipping her hand down Hermione's belly and cupping her bare-skinned sex with her palm and then allowing her middle finger to slip easily into the moist folds and circle the entrance to Hermione's warmest areas.

**Holly:** No, not a hair out of place that I can tell. Perhaps a taste test is in order.

As Holly moves to push Hermione's knees further apart and return to her crouch in front of Hermione's exposed sex, Hermione's hands reach to cup Holly's face. Hermione pulls Holly up to give her a deep kiss. Holly smiles as she kisses her friend, reaching her free arm around Hermione's back while the other hand continues to grasp at Hermione's intersection between her thighs and rub the tender center lips with her fingers. Their lips and tongues keep crashing together as Holly continues to stimulate Hermione with her hand. Hermione continues her kisses holding Holly's head loosely with her arms, occasionally running her hands through her friend's burgundy locks.

**Hermione:** Honestly, I...(ooooohhmmmmm) ...I didn't have much hair there yet and...(Gasp)...I ...I just wanted you to know. (Ohh, just like that) That I want you (Ohhh how I want you) (GASP) ...I want you to do this. I want...

Holly breaks off the intermittent kisses with a smile to hop back down between Hermione's legs and give her friend's swollen clitoris the same sort of deep tongue kiss that had prompted the discussion in the first place. Hermione gasps and bucks at the sudden change, wrapping her legs loosely around Holly's shoulders to open herself more while throwing her head back into the bed with a loud gasp. With that encouragement, Holly begins to whisper in her secret language. Hermione can't feel or sense anything different at first, but she is quickly distracted as Holly starts to run her tongue along Hermione's inner lips, causing Hermione to squeal and buck once more.

**Holly:** Get ssset for a ssenssation!

Hermione starts to lift her head to ask what Holly means when she suddenly feels Holly's tongue enter her deeply. Somehow Holly has extended her tongue because Hermione can feel the thin but active muscle stretching deep into her until she feels it lick the opening of her uterus in the depths of her sex. Holly's split tip at the end of her tongue works in tandem to tease the deep recesses of Hermione's sexual path, sending Hermione's nerves into an overload of stimulated tremors. At the same time, Holly's hands sinuously caress their way back up Hermione's belly and ribcage to grasp and massage her breasts.

**Hermione:** OOOOHHHh GOD! AHHHhhh Ahhhh GOD!

Holly continues the emphatic assault on Hermione's inner chambers while nuzzling Hermione's clitoris with her nose. Hermione's whole body seizes up and then starts to writhe in place under Holly's forceful licking. Holly's hands move down from Hermione's breasts and around to grip and massage Hermione's arse, holding her in place for Holly's unusual tongue to bring Hermione untold heights of pleasure. Holly starts to focus her love and her magic into the serpentine tongue, roughly scribing runes on the inner walls of Hermione's vaginal chamber. With twirls of Holly's tongue pressing insistently on the rough surface close to the entrance of Hermione's sex, an orgasm rips through Hermione like wild fire. Her every nerve screams out in pleasurable overload, then starts to build up again to release a second burst of ecstasy seconds later. Hermione feels something more powerful building in her that begins to frighten her, but she realises she is quickly losing the ability to form words. Her hands keep trying to grip something; the bed, the headboard, Holly's hair. Another orgasm tears a scream from her as she begins to panic. Hermione tries digging her nails into the stronger girl's shoulders in an attempt to get some control over the rising brain-breaking euphoria.

**Hermione:** H-H-H-Holly, puh...please. Holly PLEASE. Oh GOD! Holly! HOLLY! Oh GOD! YES HOLLY I WANT YOU! I WANT THIS but PLEASE! PLEASE! (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) Please, you muuussssst STO-O-O-OP!

Holly stops her insistent work and freezes in place. Hermione senses the end of Holly's torturous pleasuring of her but then suddenly her whole abdomen starts clenching together in a hurricane of orgasmic waves. Holly slowly retracts her tongue from Hermione's clutching and spasming vagina, and then climbs up to embrace her dear friend as she continues to clench and shudder. Hermione's nerves throughout her body feel wave upon wave of overarching release rushing through them again and again, breaking like thunderous explosions of pleasure in her mind. Holly grins in enjoyment listening to Hermione's near continuous gasps as she clutches desperately around Holly's naked torso, nearly crushing Holly's leg where Hermione has wrapped her thighs around it. Holly's own sex is feeling heavily stimulated by Hermione's twitching against her leg and vulva, motivating Holly to rub her herself on her friend's spasming thigh. Hermione barely feels Holly's movements as she suffers painfully yet deliciously through a storm of orgasms. Holly's response to Hermione's convulsing rises to an enjoyable climax in just a few short moments, evidenced only by a long gasp and a short declaration by Holly.

**Holly:** Mmm! Mmmh! Mmmmmmh! MMMMmmaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAaaahhhhggh! OH Hermione! I love you!

Holly clutches carefully at her friend, afraid to accidently squeeze too hard and cause a broken rib or unintended bruising. Hermione continues to flex and clamp down on Holly's hip in uncontrolled orgiastic throes. As Holly relaxes from her own orgasm, she starts to stroke down Hermione's spine in a calming, reassuring way. Finally Hermione's ecstatic fit begins to subside and her body falls almost totally limp. Occasional afterbursts of oversensitized erotic feeling spark across her body, causing twitches here and there. Holly gently pulls her embrace closer over her stunned friend, holding her tenderly and whispering calming words into Hermione's ear. The bushy-haired girl just lays there limply in Holly's arms, feeling the occasional random firing of pleasure sensors throughout her body. After about twenty minutes, Hermione finally looks up into her friend's deep green eyes. Holly looks back down into Hermione's brown eyes and whispers.

**Holly:** I love you. I'm so sorry I overdid it, but I just wanted you to know just how strongly I feel for you.

Hermione says nothing, but tears start to stream out her eyes, and she clutches Holly tightly until she falls asleep a few minutes later, as exhausted as she has ever felt in her life. Holly keeps holding Hermione as she uses her wand to clean up the evidence of their lovemaking, though they are both naked as their bedclothes have been tossed or destroyed in the process. Holly finally closes the curtains on the four-posted bed with a quick spell and sticks her wand back under her pillow. Holly pulls Hermione to her warm embrace and kisses her forehead.

**Holly:** Oh, Hermione. I think maybe I broke you.

Several minutes pass as Holly relaxes into an exhausted slumber. Then Hermione's eyes open briefly with a sudden final shiver.

**Hermione: **(Gasp) Forty ...two.

The bushy-haired girl snuggles deep into her lover's embrace as she starts to cry again.

**Hermione:** (Sniff) You're going to kill me if we keep this up.

***


	3. 9312 Holly Dates Dean

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work.

Spiral Tangent: Holly and Dean's first, last and only date; AKA 9 1/2 hours

Placement: December 1993; beginning of Chapter 20

What you need to know: Holly Evans attends Hogwarts in place of Harry Potter. Hermione and she bonded over the Troll incident and other adventures. Holly is known to be much like her namesake- prickly and poisonous, but with Hermione she acts more normal. They have been sleeping next to each other at night due to the effect of Dementors laying siege to the castle by order of the Minister of Magic in hopes of catching the escaped convict Sirius Black. Holly has recently convinced Hermione to explore beyond their close friendship to be lovers despite Hermione's declared heterosexuality. During their first such encounter, Hermione challenged Holly to see if a boy could 'rev her engine'.

(This part takes place in Moaning Myrtle's lavatory/laboratory where Holly and Hermione spend their off-hours brewing special potions.)

"You were serious about that?"

"Yes, Holly! In as much as I enjoy our time together, I still consider it just a measure of our closeness as friends. If you or I were to start dating a boy, I wouldn't expect you to continue ...pleasuring me. It might affect the relationship we would be building with the other person. Were you expecting something different?"

"I was expecting you to be so overwhelmed by my 'pleasuring you' that you wouldn't see the point in bothering with boys, particularly since you're dedicated to following the recommendations of Miss Twistbritches in 'Why Witches Should Wait'"

"It's Twilliger, and there are very potent reasons to hold off losing your virginity until the wedding night. Several rituals and enchantments are possible only under those circumstances."

"Yes, I believe some of them involve demon summoning.'See the extended works at 40 galleons a pop for further information'."

"I take it you won't be waiting, then."

"I hadn't given it much thought. I doubt my situation would fit in those rituals."  
(Gasp!) "Oh, Holly! I'm sorry! I forgot! Please forgive me!"

"Hmmm, leverage or forgiveness? You know you make me juicy when you gasp like that!"

"Scamp!"

[pause]

"Bookworm."

Hermione walks up to poke me in the belly.

"Evil child."

I give Hermione one of my smouldering looks with a partial smile.

"Troublemaker."

Hermione may be trading insults with me but her breathing is getting heavy as she steps up in front of me to reach her hand towards my cheek, pulling me to her.

"Auburn seductress!" She dips her head forward and down to plunge the depths of my mouth with her tongue.

"Immature Succubus!"

Hermione's breath catches in her throat; I've never played our game to six syllables before. My hands reach around her waist to slide down her skirt-covered arse.

"Holly, if you don't start taking my clothes off soon, I'm going to faint! Oh! Ooohhhhhooorrr you could just bypass that entirely... (Gasp!)"

"You're the one who keeps wearing skirts..."

Hermione wraps her arms around my shoulders to help support herself. My hands slipped around to bunch up her skirt, weave under her arsecheeks and start fingering the base of her slit from behind. By lifting her up partially I am able to move one hand forward enough to tease her clit while the other supports her weight while still massaging the entry of her vagina. Hermione starts hyperventilating. I lift her up and move us to rest her back against the wall, allowing my supporting hand more entry mobility. Hermione comes within a minute.

(Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) "UUhhhhhnnnnnnnnHolly! (Gasp!) Holly! (Gasp!) Holly! (Gasp!) Holly! Holly! Holly! HOLLLLLLLYYYEEEEEEMMMmmmmmmm!"

I ended her scream of pleasure with what pulp novels would call a 'torrid kiss'.

Later on...

"And you were serious about that?"

"Yes! Go ask Dean for a date!"

"Oh, alright."

First I have to find a private spot to scream loudly for both of my causes of frustration. Then I'll see about arranging some Dean-time. I swear she left me horny on purpose.

***

I found Dean Thomas lounging in the Gryffindor common room sketching away. As I approached him from behind the chair, I got to look at his work first. He was drawing two of the chasers, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson, in the exact pose we could both see they occupied on the other side of the room, only in Dean's rendering both girls were mostly naked except for some very detailed lingerie.

"You're very good."

"Ahh! Evans! What the Hell?"

"I was observing your work. You really make them come to life."

"Yeah, um, Holly. Don't...ah...don't tell them..."

"...about your artistic derivations? Wouldn't dream of it." I walked around in front of him and sat in the chair to his right. Dean watched me as I walked, taking particular interest as my hips moved past his face. I may not have any boobs, but he already mentioned he appreciated my lower half when we last spoke meaningfully on the Hogwarts Express.

"So...what brings you to my temporary studio?"

"I...I thought...I thought we might learn a bit more about each other. You said on the train that you'd like to get to know me better, and now that my Quidditch career has been cut short, I find I have a little more time for ...such things." At the end I remembered to smile a bit. It must have looked a bit unnatural, for Dean was giving me a look like he'd been propositioned by a hedgehog.

***

Holly Evans just asked me out? No way! I could've sworn, Hell the whole room could've sworn she was batting for the ladies after she gave me the brush off on the Express! It was the first time I hadn't made a girl blush when I was giving them my focus since I was ten. Now she wants to ride the Thomas train? Something isn't right, yet she's sending all the right signals. She _did_ save Diggory at that last match, and he's a dish even I wouldn't mind sampling, if my backdoor wasn't 'Exit only'. Proceed with...

"Dean, this isn't rocket science. Do you want to spend time with me? I mean, you seemed all interested before and I can't believe I've gotten any more hideous since term began..."

"No, no! I mean, yes. Yes, I'd like to spend time with you. Do you have to go anywhere right now or would you like to go for a walk?"

"I'll make the time."

***

Alright so the first movement has been executed with a minimum of fuss. I suppose I should show interest in his talents. It isn't difficult; he's really gifted. Besides, if I phrase the questions right I might learn more about other people of interest from his perspective.

"Tell me about your art. Is your embellishment on the chasers based on hearsay or personal experience?"

"Hah! Wouldn't you like to know?!"

"I wouldn't have asked...yes, actually, I would like to know."

Down girl! Hermione says it helps if you're not scary to start with!

"Ehhh, right. I might have seen a peek of...well, no. I use catalogues for reference on the fabric and just let my eye tell my hand how to fill in the fit. That's where most people can't get the hang of drawing- it takes time to figure out how to make your hand understand what your eye sees or your mind imagines. There's a translation that happens."

"Are you good with languages as well?"

"Nah, that was just a metaphor."

"You seem to have gift for using both your hand and your mouth."

"Uh, thanks. Say Holly, um... not to put a damper on our conversation but why are you seeming more...dim?"

Oh, shit. He's caught on already. I can't do worshipful and ditzy. Sigh.

"Yeah, that's not playing right, is it? I just...I want to give this an honest try. I don't know what you would want from me, so I was trying to be more, well, Lavender-like."

"Yeah, Holly, that's dumb. I wouldn't touch Lavender; she hasn't much to interest me. You, on the other hand are quite the mystery. I don't mind digging into mysteries."

"So long as they aren't life-threatening?"

"Yeah, you can keep those."

"I seem to collect them. I promise to lock Pandora's box every night."

"Whew! I feel safer already!"

Hey this bantering bit actually kinda works for us.

***

Well, this has been an interesting couple hours. Now that the delightful Miss Holly is not trying to play the player, let's just see if we can break down some more defenses. I gotta ask about Hermione- it should explain a lot.

"Holly, um, this may seem a bit forward, but I was under the impression that you and Hermione were an item. I'm not about to be hexed by the mad bookworm am I?"

"Whah...Ah. Well, the thing is...well crap. I should have anticipated this would be an issue. She's not going to hex you."

"Are you sure?"

"Oh yeah! This was mostly her idea ...ooh, that doesn't sound right does it?"

"Not really. You'd best tell me what's up here. If we can't be honest with each other, build trust, there's just no point."

"Right. Right. Here's the thing. I find you attractive. Normally I only find Hermione appealing, but she's not...we're not...she insists that we're just the closest of friends. She also thinks that I haven't even considered dating a boy because you're all frightened of me and how can that be appealing? She has a point. I kinda hit it off with Florean and he wasn't afraid of me..."

"Whoa! Whoa! You made out with the ice cream guy?!"

"What? No! He just...we had an interesting conversation is all. During the conversation he made me realise that I can be turned on by someone other than Hermione. He opened my eyes a bit."

"What did he say?"

"Ehhh...it loses something in the retelling. Ask him to explain his view on customer's preference for ice cream sometime. If you're paying attention, you'll end up horny at the end."

"Does it still?"

"On occasion..."

I give her the Look when she turns back to lock eyes with me. There's the gasp and the blush! God, she is hot! Even without a rack she just moves like she's prowling. I can tell she's warming up quick. Better play this careful- she is dangerous.

"Would you be offended if I kissed you now? I really feel like we've made a connection."

"Hmm. C'mere."

Whoa! Damn this girl can kiss! She just blows by the peck on the lips for a 'Hello tonsils, nice ta meetcha!' tongue-shake! Good as this is, I gotta get control of this. Maybe a little Voice.

"MMmmm, Holly! Wow! I wasn't presuming anything that involved. But thanks! I guess **you really like me**."

"I guess I really do! (Sigh) I have classes that can't wait any longer. Can we pick this up at dinner?"

"I wouldn't **miss** it! Sit with **me**. Oh, I may have a thing. Don't **feel bad if I'm late**. I'll make it up to you, later."

We'll see if things are working out tonight. This could be my own Christmas pressie for myself!

***

Well, that went swimmingly. Now to find Hermione so we can Turn back for the second run. I'm really tired, but I have something to look forward to after our nap!

***

6:15 and we enter the Great Hall to find... whoa, she looks anxious and fatigued. It's only been a few hours. I wonder why she looks so beat down? Hopefully she'll still have energy for some private study time, heh.

"Holly, there you are! I'm sooo sorry. I thought I might get caught up in this thing and...uhh, Holly?"

She's grabbed my arm and is dragging me out of the Hall, but the look on her face is not a good thing. That's the look Platt's brother had when he found out I took her virginity. Better get ready to run...

"Dean! I have an important question for you, and I need you to answer it honestly. Lives may be at stake."

"Uh, Okay."

"Were you sidelined by a Professor or cornered by the Slytherins in the last few hours?"

"Uh, no. No, I just was working on this...uh...project for Sprout on illustrating these plants and..."  
"Oh thank God."

Wham! Super kiss! This girl is Hottentots HOT! What was I thinking before? We could have been making magic all term!

***

Seeing Dean enter the Great Hall was a relief. I had a bad feeling all afternoon, so much so that I couldn't sleep! Hermione insisted on staying out of my way the moment we were done Turning and I couldn't find the Twins to get the Map back. I was just sure something awful happened to Dean, and I was equally sure it was because he was seen with me. Now that I have him in this corner, I feel like I need to tell him how much trouble my life could bring him. Or we could keep up with the kissing. Yeah, the kissing is good.

"MMMmmmm Holly! Holly, I'm Okay. And you are... great! Where'd you learn to kiss like that?"

"Ohh, let's just say I have an excellent study partner. Oh! Wait, never mind that. Listen, Dean. I need to tell you something..."

***

Holly seems so serious. This could be big. I better add some reinforcement.

"Could we sit down and eat first? I'm hungry, and you look like **you want** to eat a whole cow! Split one with **me** and I promise to keep **my hands** clear! Big evening meals **are** definitely **made for you**."

"Ehh, Okay. I could do with some nourishment, but what I have to say should be done in private. Let's find a quiet place after dinner, alright?"

"Absolutely. I know just the place."

Whatever she's got on her mind, her body is taking us right where I want to go!

***

I haven't eaten as much since the morning after Hermione and I first coupled. Dean seems relaxed and upbeat. I could use a little calm in my life, though not Professor Oatmeal calm; more like the way Florean is calm. Dean just acts like it's all going to work out, so we don't have to worry so much. I just noticed I've been holding his hand throughout the whole meal. Wow. Non-Hermione human contact. I maybe could get used to this.

***

Holly's got a dangerous life. If just one tenth of what she just told me is true, I'm trying to bump nasties with a lightning rod for trouble. Gotta admit; it's quite the turn-on. If I do this right, we can have a happy time and then cool off until she survives the next disaster. I've heard living on the edge like that makes the sex extra potent. I guess we'll find out.

"**Holly**, that's...that's extraordinary. I'm kinda blown away. **You** might **need** to help **me** here. If your life is that scary, well, I'm... (sigh) I'm not sure I can **handle** it. **My** life is just a **cock** and bull story by comparison, **you** understand? I'd **want to** **kiss it** all goodbye and leave it behind, if I were in your position."

"Uhh, Dean?"

"Yes Holly?"

"I'd like to make you feel better about this, but if you don't move fast your clothes are going to be torn apart."

Bingo.

***

So now we're enveloping Dean's cock with our mouth. It is warm and I can feel his pulse as it throbs throughout the firm yet soft yet spongy yet hard...I'm making myself wet just describing this. I can also feel his enjoyment, at least, it feels inside of me like I'm doing right by him, and that's making me happy too. The mechanics of the activity were described in one of Aunt Petunia's 'Get Holly Knocked Up' manuals, but the experience is something else. It just feels so good knowing that running my tongue up and down the side of his cock, bobbing my moistened lips over his bulbous head and then adding a nice moan as I envelop the first four inches with my mouth is bringing him such pleasure. Grimjack didn't mention any particular Parseltongue magic that could help with this aside from the tongue-lengthener, but Dean doesn't seem to be missing out...

"Oh God, Holly! You suck me so good! You're the hottest girl I've ever known! Oh use your tongue like that! It's so niiiiicccce!"

Nice equals Dumb. Initiating diagnostic.

***

MAN this is the best I've ever had it! How can this girl who has never touched a man before me know how to bring me to the brink of cumming again and again yet still squeeze in just the right place to keep me from spunking?

Whoa. Why'd she stop?

WHOA, we're on the last flight now! She's bobbing her head so fast I swear I can't keep up with her! I'm gonna cum! I'm gonna cum!

"Holly, Oh God! **Swallow me hard! Take it all down! Swallow it all!**

***

I seem to have collected as much as he's going to put out this time. I pull out his cock with a pop, keeping my mouth sealed shut. Once I've retrieved the Erlenmeyer Flask from my pocket, I spit out every drop of Dean's seed into the opening and cap it off.

"No, I don't think so."

"(Gasp) Oh! (Gasp) Oh! (Gasp) You were great! Whah, wait. (Gasp) Why didn't you...(Gasp) why didn't you swallow?"

_"Tempus Adversor. _Because I didn't want to. Rather, I think I'll keep it. You never know what you can do with a man's seed, unless you have some preserved at hand when you run across the right formula."

"What?!"

"I think our time together is over. You are very attractive; I've heard some of the pureblood girls teasing about studding you out to help their weakening bloodlines."

"You... you can't..."

I grab his balls in my tightest grip. I can tell I've got his attention because his face just turned purple and his eyes are bugging out at me.

"Try this vocal daterape trick on anyone under my protection and we'll see how many bastards you can afford to take care of without any hands for drawing!" I let go of his crotch and shake the flask for emphasis.

"How...how will I know who's under your protection?"

"Perhaps you should err on the side of caution. At the rate you boys are disappointing me, I may decide that all girls are my interest."

Dean loses his cool and runs off, nearly killing himself stumbling out of our hidey-hole with his pants around his ankles. At first I was very angry, but then I realised that even with his special talent, I was also 'looking to score', in my way. I answered Hermione's question as well. Boys can 'rev my engine'. I just haven't met one that deserves the ride. In the end I expect this may damage my reputation slightly, but I doubt it will hurt things that Dean will be scared of me for the foreseeable future.

Oh, who am I kidding?

THAT FUCKING BASTARD JUST RAPED ME!

I'm going to go find a hole to crawl into, or just use this one. I need time to put myself back together again. Hermione isn't to blame, but I can't share this one with her either. Let her think it just didn't work out. Then make sure to hold her tight as I can every chance I get.

I seal the closet shut and cry into the night.

***


	4. 9401 Food and Frolic

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work.

Spiral Tangent: Jan 94 - Food and Frolic

Placement: Chapter 21 "Christmas with the Grangers"

What you need to know: Holly Evans attends Hogwarts in place of Harry Potter. Hermione and she bonded over the Troll incident and other adventures. Holly is known to be much like her namesake- prickly and poisonous, but with Hermione she acts more normal. They have recently embarked on a sexual relationship at Holly's urging. Hermione holds out that she is interested in boys but is intoxicated by the emotional power of their intimacy. Holly infused Hermione with some excess magic when they first became intimate, which may be a factor. Holly is staying at the Grangers over the X-mas holiday. Oh, and Strange Chocolate is Florean Fortescue's version of a particularly spicy Cinnamon-Chocolate ice cream.

"Holly, we've been surrounded by chill-inducing Dementors all term, yet you've been regularly eating that ice cream! I don't get it. I mean, your body seems to be warmer than most but I wouldn't choose to make resisting the Dementors any harder."

"This is a special flavor Florean made that has a warming effect along with the cool of the ice cream. It's called Strange Chocolate and I'm a fan; I can't get enough."

"May I try some?"

"I thought you'd never ask!"

I scooped a half spoonful from my latest quart container and handed it across the counter to Hermione, trying to suppress the pranking grin that was threatening to warn her away from my potent dessert. Hermione flipped the spoon filled with the spicy chocolate confection in her mouth to let it melt on her tongue.

"MMmmm, that's really good! It's....Oh! Oh! Hot! Hot! Aahh! Hhhhhahh!"

"Yeah, it's pretty intense." I took the spoon back from her extended hand. It was like she was trying to move it as far away from her as possible, but didn't want to be rude and actually throw the spoon. Hermione started walking back and forth through the kitchen, waving her hand in front of her mouth, an expression of worry, pain or annoyance on her face. It's hard to tell with her mouth wide open like that.

"Florean keeps telling me to 'savor the flavor', but I..."

Hermione yelped and then seemed to stumble to the floor behind the counter. I sat up from my stool to look over the counter to where she landed. She was standing up very slowly, so my concern abated.

"Alright there, Hermione?"

My friend and lover turned around just as slowly as she has stood up to look me in the eyes, an expression of smouldering...something on her face. I stopped licking the ice cream from my spoon.

"Um, alright there, Hermione?"

"Clothes. Off. Now."

A raging she-cat leapt across the counter space to grasp my shoulders and started trying to choke me with her tongue. My tendency to roll backward from an attack ended up pulling Hermione across the counter to fall on top of me with a crash into the living room. Hermione was undeterred by our crashing through the house and resumed assaulting my mouth with her tongue, following up by pulling on the opening of my shirt at the collar and ripping it open with one forceful outward pull. Within seconds I had caught up to her ardor and the both of us were trapped in a combination wrestling match, cloth-tearing competition and attempt to exfoliate using our sex-partners sharp edges, wherever we could find them. At one point Hermione was literally biting my poor unsupported nipple. I can't complain because I was coming so hard from it that I bit down on her shoulder to keep from alerting the neighbors there was a trapped animal raging in this house. After things calmed down again, Hermione politely asked me from her position lying across me with her breast still partly in my mouth what I said before she began channeling She-Ra. I turned my head so she could hear me and I told her.

"Savor the flavor."  
"Ooooohhhhh. There's still a lingering effect!" Hermione's nipple hardened once more against my cheek.

"I can see that."

"Really? Well, I hope it's not copyrighted, it sounds familiar. Hmmm...savor the flavor. Oh crickets! _Silencio!_"  
It's an activation phrase, you just can't activate it yourself. The second the last syllable escaped Hermione's swollen and enticing lips, I was seized by a feeling of my entire digestive system, lips to arse, singing Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy'. Every sensation across my skin had the volume turned up. I looked at Hermione and felt my love for her scream through my body with a simple shiver. I guess I've been repressing my emotions. I blacked out for several minutes.

Hermione tells me my scream shattered several windows before her spell took effect. By the end of my orgiastic romp I had planted my magically-charged fist through their kitchen's marble countertop. I asked her how I got to the countertop when the last thing I remember was lying on the floor under her in the living room. At some point, Hermione said, I jumped up on said counter on all fours and demanded that Hermione insert her hand into my vagina. I shattered the counter when she got it all the way in and formed a fist.

"And you actually did it?"  
"You never get to have as many orgasms as I do. I figured it was the least I could do. It was... thrilling... seeing you in ecstasy, Holly. I think I understand why you don't mind giving me so much attention. I really enjoyed making you happy!" I smiled at her then and released a very relaxing sigh. My crotch felt a little sore when I sat on a stool by the broken counter, so I stood up again.

"So. No hymen anymore, I guess."

"You didn't have one."

"I didn't? Oh crap! Does that mean someone..."

"Relax Holly. You've been releasing whole eggs for the last six months- I'm fairly sure you lost your hymen during that first cycle, which is why it was so painful."

"That makes sense. I still want to look for repressed memories. Oh! I found the ice cream memory!"

The memory looked to be naturally bound away. Unlike an Obliviation which almost looks chained and shrouded, this looked like it was just covered by a curtain of blackness, perhaps as a natural safety precaution- the mind's way of moving past a traumatising experience. I pulled away the curtain.

"Holly, are you alright?"

"OH-HH-H-H-H-H-GOD-OH-GOD-OH-GOD-OH-GOD! OH, Hhhhhermione fuck me with your fist just like that. OOH! OOH! OOH! OOH! OOH! TWIST IT! God YES! YES! OH! OH! OH-OH-OH-OH Sweet mother of GOD bring me the light of your ecstasy NNNOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

I woke up on the floor again, breathing heavily. Hermione was still mostly naked, her cool hand on my forehead and a look of concern on her beautiful face.

"Holly, did you just re-enact that by Occlumency?"

"Uhn! (Gasp!) Uhn! (Gasp!) Uhn! Apparently! (Gasp!)"

"Hmm..."

"(Gasp!) If we're ...done cavorting for a little while, I can heal those scratches and bites and bruises and...Ohhh, I'm sorry, you loved that blouse."

"Not entirely."

"Okay, I loved that blouse. The satin showed your nipples even when you were asleep."

"Well, perhaps a Reparo or two wouldn't go amiss. Use your holdout wand, I'd hate for the Aurors to come after us."

"And you cast the silencing spell with...?"

"Heartfelt intentions! I think that you were fibbing about the not-really-sharing-power ritual you enacted in my nether regions that first time."

"Yeah, I was. You were already freaking out and I didn't want you to worry about Darker aspects at the time."

"Holly..."

"Yes, Hermione?"

"After my parents leave for work tomorrow, I have an experiment or two I'd like us to try."

"Ah, brilliant. I was wondering when learning would return to the docket."

"One other thing, Holly."  
"Yes Hermione?"

"Please ...kiss me. I feel awful about hurting you before, and I know from experience that you weren't in your right mind..."

God, I love her. Hermione lay back down over my tired but satisfied body, and we kissed for another half hour before jumping up to fix the house as we heard Hermione's parents returning from the grocers.

***

That night we were able to sneak a nice snog together under the pretense of Hermione showing me proper teeth brushing technique before bed. Her Mum is aware of our schooltime acts of intimacy because Hermione confessed to her the day after we arrived. Mrs. Granger, DDS then somehow induced her husband to have me sleep in a cot in his tax-paper strewn home office, instead of in Hermione's bed as we would prefer. I give her credit for the deception, as he still seems oblivious to our relationship, yet fervent in his desire to keep us separated at night.

The next morning Hermione woke me from my slumber by pouncing on my cot like it was a mini-trampoline

"Get up! Get up! We've much to do and it starts with your shower! Get up!"

Despite Hermione's implication, I showered alone. At first I took my time to allow her to join me, but I finally realised she was already scrubbed when she was jumping near my head and finished cleaning up with more speed.

As I came downstairs, I realised why Hermione wanted me to start with a shower. She had cleared off the entire marble counterspace and laid out on the opposite surface next to the icebox several blunt cooking utensils and the quart container of Strange Chocolate onto a serving tray. Hermione was beaming with pride, looking not unlike a lab assistant prepared for inspection in her light blue dressing gown. The main floor of the house was quite warm as Hermione had a roaring fire well supplied with hardwood logs and she seemed to have also included a Warming Charm in the kitchen area, no doubt using my untraceable holdout wand.

"I realise you said we would be experimenting, Hermione, but the preparation of your kitchen into a sciencey lab space is a bit disconcerting."

"Ohh, you'll hardly notice, I'm sure!"

Hermione walked up to me with a jaunty grin and kissed me deeply, taking no time to slip her hands into my own dressing gown, exposing my bare chest and hairless sex to the warm air. Her hands moved around to my back and down to squeeze my arse quite firmly. At the same time, her tongue was so adroitly engaging my senses in our kiss that I barely noticed being shifted into the kitchen space and leaned against the bare marble counter.

I could feel my juices flowing so I quickly doffed the gown, letting it slip to the floor so I could kick it out of the way. Hermione grinned in our kiss and pulled back to stare in my eyes with delight, then urged me to hop up on the counter. I was immediately grateful for the Warming Charms, as I had expected the black and white speckled marble to be a shocking chill instead of the warm surface I encountered. Hermione kissed me once more, and then put her hand to my chest in a gesture to indicate I should hold there. She turned around and brought over the tray of ice cream and utensils, placed it to my side, and then dropped her own gown to the floor to reveal her equally clean and naked body. At once she stepped forward onto a short stepstool to put her at an agreeable height and reached to bring my face back to hers. Encouraged, I moved in for the kiss and began caressing her breasts. Her moans came quickly as she leaned into my touch.

"We (Gasp) we have all day, but I ...I ... Oh Holly I love how you touch me. MMMmmmm (Gasp). I ...uhh... I want to start us off with ... oh, we'll get to it, you'll see."

Hermione gave up on conversation as my one hand drifted down to run my knuckles gently across the front of her labia. The lips parted slightly and I could feel the moisture from them leave a wet kiss of sorts on my fingers. My other hand continued to roll her breast in a gentle but firm grip, and Hermione started to breathe more quickly. She stepped back unexpectedly.

"No, no, NO! I'm supposed to be...you're supposed to... this is about you!"

"Are you serious? You want me to stop?"

Hermione looked at me for a moment and then her whole body did a shrug.  
"Oh, Hell no! Touch me, please!"

I giggled a little and as Hermione moved into my embrace, I turned her around so her back rested against my front.

"What are youuuu..."

Hermione nearly melted in my arms as I reached under her left arm to massage her breasts and around her waist from the right side to slide my fingers over her rapidly moistening sex. Hermione's arms reached up and back to weakly dangle in my hair, causing her chest to arch upwards into my hand. Within a minute, Hermione had come to a knee-weakening climax, such that my right hand needed to grip her crotch tightly lest Hermione slip out of my grip to the kitchen floor. The sudden increased pressure on her clit caused her sighing orgasm to become a gasping scream.

After her breathing returned to a more sedate pace, Hermione turned to me.

"Thank you Holly. I'm fairly sure I can't remember what I was planning to do now."

"Glad to be of service! Did it have anything to do with ice cream?"

"YES! Yes, damn you!"

Hermione pushed my naked, laughing body back onto the counter where she proceeded to give me a quick but forcefully deep kiss.

"As you know, we have encountered a few issues whenever I have tried to ...communicate my affection orally."

"You haven't told me you love me, but you are otherwise quite expressive in your appreciation."

"I haven't?"

"No, you haven't."

"Well, I...uhh...I will."

"No rush."

"Anyway, that wasn't what I was talking about. The last time I ...kissed your ...sex, I used vinegar as it is a mild acid that counters the corrosive qualities in your unusual fluid. Today, I'd like to try a different mild acid, namely our potent dessert, which is based on dairy products containing lactic acid."

"You'd rather lick me covered in ice cream."

"Well ....yes. I mean honestly! Who wouldn't?"

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Holly?"

"You're a genius. Serve me up!"

Hermione grinned then grabbed a wide serving spoon and proceeded to scoop up four ounces of Strange Chocolate. She was about to drop it onto my belly when I interrupted her.

"Whoa! Hermione?"

"Yes, Holly?"

"I'd appreciate it if you could get me a little warmer first..."

"Oh! Of course! How silly of me!"

Hermione moved in to once more plumb the depths of my mouth with her tongue, holding the scoop of ice cream out to the side as I pulled her body in close to mine. With her positioned at the edge of the counter where my legs were dangling, I raised them up and enwrapped her arse, using my ankles to push her into me. Hermione was getting lost in the depth of our kisses until she realised the ice cream was melting down her forearm.

"Oh! Holly, I need to..."

I surprised her then by grabbing the gooey lump of melted glace from the spoon and shoved down between us, covering both our pudenda with chilling but spicy confection.

"Oh! Ohh! Holly, that's so messy I ...Ahhh! Hot! Cold! Ahh!"

Amused by Hermione's hopping against the edge of the counter and thus my own sex, I started to drag her deeper into my three-limbed embrace while continuing to rub the quickly melting cream over my lower belly. The first drips started getting rubbed into my labia and over my clit and I could tell why Hermione was hopping so much- it didn't hurt, but the stuff stung like happy fire ants wherever I was moist, and I was getting moister by the second. I started to rub our sexes together, hearing Hermione's moans and screeches as she also became highly stimulated by our actions.

"Hermione!"

"Wha...ohhh...mmm...Ahhh...wha...What Holly?"

"Say it with me!"

"Wha...what?"

"Say it with me! At the same time! Say it!"

"Are...are you ...insane?"

"Say it!"

"Oh, God! Ahhh...s-...Savor..."

We said it together at last.

"Savor the flavor...aaaahhhhAAAAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEE!"

You would have thought we were cold, the way we started rubbing against each other. Instead, we were aiming for Spontaneous Combustion. It felt like we made it. The feeling of fire ripping deliciously up into our sexual canals and through every erotically-responsive nerve can only be likened to an Anti-Cruciatus. We ended up slipping off the counter to the floor at some point. The best part for me was waking up from blacking out to find that Hermione will not leave a task unfinished. My favorite person in the world woke me to her lovingly licking every little drop of Strange Chocolate from my skin, concentrating on the most sensitive parts of my nether lips for extra careful cleansing. I awoke to heaven, as her ministrations were already bringing me to a new orgasm.

"Mmmm, what are youuuuu (Gasp), ooohhh, Hermione! OH Yes. Mmmmmhhh, oooohhh! Ooooohhh! Ooooohhh! Ooooohhh! OOOhhhHHHHhYessysysysysysysysysysYES! AHhhhhhhhhhhhhnnnn."

"Was, was that...good? Did I do that alright? I want you to be honest, Holly. Was that...did you enjoy that?"

"I'm not entirely certain, Hermione. Perhaps you could try again one or two...hundred....more....Oh yes!...more times...Yes! YES! YES! No! Don't stopppp!"

"You were being mean..."

"I was teasing, please Hermione, I'm sorry! Please don't stop! Don't ....ahhhh Gods! That's wonderful!"

***

Following a morning of that sort of fun, showers are necessary. Afterwards Hermione and I dressed casually (though for Hermione that's still a blouse and skirt) and cleaned up the kitchen once more. We then released our various pets from Hermione's bedroom to join us for afternoon cinema.

***

After finishing Raiders of the Lost Ark, Hermione walked back into the kitchen area to take another taste of our potent dessert selection, possibly soon to be rechristened Florean's Fuck-me Infusion. I followed along to stretch my legs and tease my bed mate a little. I could tell she was inspired by the smouldering Mr. Ford, so my teasing was a little critical. She rose to the occasion.

"Yknow, with all the library time you put in and the addition of regular desserts like this, you should consider an exercise regimen."

"MMmmmm. What? Oh, really? And here I thought your constant running was what made your muscular arse swell to such a size I cannot wholly grasp it."

"I know I'm pear-shaped with my cupless breasts, but at least it's all muscle."

"And I wouldn't doubt you'd be proud to out-macho the entire Gryffindor boy's dorm. Indiana Jones himself would let you drive, I'm sure!"

"Marshmallow!" I grabbed her breast roughly and squeezed.

"Ow! You started too high! Dyke!" She slapped her hand into my crotch to give it a similar squeeze.

"Pervert!" I slipped my other hand around to lift up her skirt and grabbed her right arse-cheek

"Masochist!" Hermione twisted my (non-bitten yesterday) nipple through my cotton top, causing me to gasp.

"Tongue-riding Slut!" I slipped my tongue into her waiting mouth and proceed to wrestle her tongue into a bind before pulling out roughly.

"Diabolic Minx!" Hermione stepped back and ripped her shirt off causing the pearl buttons to fly all over the room. Her braless breasts bounced ably with the forceful action and the nipples started to harden immediately as I gazed at them.

"Curly-haired Deviant!" I moved back in, kissing down her exposed neck as my hands slipped around to tear open the knickers under her skirt and started to massage her arse, my fingers barely reaching deep enough to tantalize her nether lips as I lifted her slightly with each pass of my hands.

"Deranged (Gasp!) (Gasp!) Nymphomaniac!" Hermione pushed me out of the kitchen and down to the carpeted living room floor. She began rubbing her moistened vulva against my pelvis through the jeans at the same time as she held my head up to plunder my mouth with her hot, stabbing tongue. (Incidentally, I think this is when Hedwig, Crooks and Newt all left to return to Hermione's room)

"MMmmmmmm..."

"Ohhh Holly, just sex me up already." Hermione pulled my top off over my head and then let her arms remain reaching up into the air, offering her breasts for me to lick and gently bite. I gladly moved my hands across them and around to her back, and then rose to a sitting position with our thighs interlocked in a way that still allowed Hermione to rub herself against my hip bone as I worked my tongue and lips across her magnificent and tender chest.

"Perhaps when we return to school (nibble) we should (lick) go to the library (suckle) and ask Madame Pince (nip) for a centrally located table (squeeze, tease) where I can demonstrate my technique (bite, tongue) for the under-educated boys you think (envelope, lave) might someday bring you satisfaction."

"MMMMMMMuh! Lick, damn you! Lick! Oh Holly stop teasing me with scenarios, I just want to feel yourrrroooOOoooooooooOOOOOOHHHH!"

I had suckled, rubbed and enticed her to sit back onto the couch, so I pushed her back to rest there, flipped up her skirt and dove my head forward to slip my extended tongue into her waiting folds, all in three sudden and forceful movements. I slid my tongue in and back, through her entrance, using my chin to press against her Muladhara. Stimulating her so directly and forcefully generated quite the response in my otherwise soft-spoken girl lover.

"Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! AHHH GOD FUCK ME! Fuck me with your tongue! DO it! DO IT! AHH! AHH! Do me! DO me! DO...what you did before!"

I pulled out my tongue to rise up and look Hermione in the eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"God no, but I'm asking anyway! Please! Don't hold back! I need this! Do it!"

"Please, Hermione. Tell me exactly what you want. I don't want us...I don't want to do something bad to you based on a misunderstanding..."

"The Jolly Rogering! Do it!" Hermione's head fell back onto the cushions. "I want it! I want you to make me feel just how much you want me! Oh God! Please Holly! PLLEEEEEAASE!"

I infused my lengthened split tongue with magic, taking special care to emotionally channel into it all my love for this saucy witch. I then reinserted my tongue deep into Hermione's love channel and started to write runes on the soft tissues within using the tips of my tongue.

"OOOOoohhh! Oh that's...good. Why doesn't it feel the same? NO keep going! Keep GOing! AAHHHhhhhhoOOhhhhhhh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh!"

With the last rune written, all I had left to do was wait for the timer to run out and hold on tightly while Hermione rode the best orgasm I could muster...almost.

This was a really bad Good Idea. This was what Hermione had suggested earlier, and Hermione just ate some Strange Chocolate...

From the depths of Hermione's vagina I intoned in Parseltongue, "savor the flavor"

" AaaaaaahhhAAAAAAHHHHHHH! Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! MMMMmmmmmmuh! HhhhhhHolly! Holly! Yes Holly! Holly! HOLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Oh God! Oh God! Nnnno, Stop! It's too much! It's..."

Hermione had stopped screaming and writhing and everything, though I could still feel her pulse racing. I looked up to see her gazing forward, unfocused, a look of fear and wonder frozen on her face. I stopped laving the inside of Hermione's vagina, and slowly started to extract my tongue back out to her hot swollen folds. Just as the tips slipped out to twirl once around Hermione's entrance, my now spookily silent lover closed her eyes and began convulsing. I quickly shoved the edge of my left hand into Hermione's mouth where she immediately chomped down on it, causing me to wince but I gritted my teeth to bear through. I couldn't stand the silence of Hermione's orgasmic fit, so I tentatively stroked Hermione's clitoris with my tongue. Hermione immediately spat out my hand to exclaim her ecstatic enjoyment with a scream.

"Ahh G-G-GOD! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Hermione's whole body shuddered in tremors of magically supercharged orgasm. Her skin glowed from beneath with a pale light that caused me to stare enraptured. Hermione's breasts looked angelic to my eyes. Hermione returned to using my hand as a bit, bringing me painfully back to the action at hand. I climbed up my rapturously convulsing lover to wrap my arms and legs around her sinuously twisting body, freeing my bloody and bruised hand from her mouth in the process and then applied a loving kiss to Hermione's left nipple. I wanted; I needed to be included in Hermione's moment, to be with her during this thunderous bodyquake of transcendental bliss. As my lips wrapped around her areole I was paralysed by the feeling of rapturous love flowing from Hermione's breast into my body, sending me into my own orgasmic convulsions.

"Mmmfhhhhmmmmmmmm!"  
I held onto enough sanity to start swirling my tongue roughly around Hermione's nipple and then sucking most of the breast into my mouth, moaning or screaming into the soft flesh when the power of my successive orgasms forced me beyond restraint.

"AaaaahhhhhllllllmmmmmmmmmmohhhhhhoohhhhhhAAAAAAahhhhhhhhmmmmllmlmlllmmmlmmmmlmmmmmmooohoohooohhoohohhhhhAAAAAahahhhhhhhhhAAIIIIiiiiEe!"

Unable to continue distinguishing one orgasm from the next, I finally just clutched to Hermione's torso and ground her thigh between my legs while suckling her breast.

We stayed that way for several minutes until the light suffusing Hermione's body began to fade and my own orgasms abated. As Hermione fell limply into my waiting arms, I began to cry.  
"Oh, Hermione! It was wondrous but how can you think doing that again would be a good thing? God, I love you! That was ...fantastic but I really think..."

[pause]

"Hermione?"

I immediately began to panic, for I realised that Hermione was not moving.

"Hermione? Hermione?! HERMIONE?!"

Not just not moving; Hermione was not breathing.

I quickly slapped her face, hoping to shock Hermione into opening her lungs.

Hermione's eyes had an empty glazed look and her lips were turning to steel grey. I watched as Hermione's skin began to lose color, becoming almost waxy in its paleness. Shaking my friend made no difference and my mind raced to come up with a solution to bring this absolute goddess of a woman back to life, back to me. Hermione's body slumped out of my stunned grasp to sprawl on the floor, limply askew.

I started crying deep sobs and gasps as I jumped up and back, unhinged by Hermione's unearthly likeness to a lifeless doll. I stumbled around, finally finding my Holly wand on the floor and bringing it to bear on my friend's frighteningly quickly-chilling body. I tried _Anapneo_, I tried a shocking hex, but Hermione's body lay limp and pale.

I recalled a long-ago conversation with Poppy Pomfrey, and a cold resolve reached down to strangle my heart. I knew what to do. Or at least, I knew the only thing I had left to try.

_"CRUCIO!"_

Hermione's body clenched up for a horrible 12 seconds and then released. Her eyes snapped shut and then opened again as she started taking in huge gasps of air. I could do nothing more than let my wand drop to the floor and crash to my knees, clutching at Hermione as the suddenly-alive girl started to look around wildly, flailing her arms to find some grasp or anchor in the moment. Once her perception came into focus, Hermione stopped fighting me, wrapped herself into my arms and began to breathe easier, though she continued to look around in a daze. My sobs weren't stopping anytime soon, maybe to make up for her odd detachment.

"OMIGOD you (sob) foolish girl don't you (sob) ever leave me like that again! Never! Do you understand?! That's the deal! You (sob) have to live! No matter what, Hermione! Promise me (sob) you'll live!"

"Sorry...about...that. Glad...to be...back. I love you ...Holly."

"You do?"

Hermione stopped looking everywhere else and settled her gaze onto my face, looking at me as if it were the first time she had realised I was British or something.

"Yes, I do. I really do. I love you, Holly." Hermione smiled widely and then kissed me with love. I was trying to maintain the kiss but my sobs were making it hard. Finally, I pulled back slightly to look Hermione deeply in her warm chocolate eyes.

"...and you had to ask God first for verification or something?"

Hermione just broke down in laughing sobs then. We sat together in our half-naked embrace on the carpeted floor, saying every form of mumbled apology and offer of forgiveness we could come up with.

And then the front door burst open.

"Aurors! Drop your wands and put your hands where we can see them!"

We both jumped at the sound but neither of us moved to end our hug, our heads resting on the other's shoulder.

"Oh! Uhh, bring up Proudfoot; we need a female Auror for this."

***

Minerva McGonagall had dealt with many strange and unfortunate situations in her time at Hogwarts. She decided that travelling to the Ministry over New Year's to bail out two students would be added to the list. It wasn't unprecedented, but the reason was; using an Unforgivable medically to revive a fellow student who had suffered a cardiac arrest due to 'transcendental erotic stimulation' was definitely one for the memoirs. The only thing that didn't surprise her was the identity of her criminals.

"Miss Evans, Miss Granger, what have you got to say for yourselves?"

The two girls looked sadly at each other, holding hands loosely between their chairs as they then both let their gaze drop to the floor. They mumbled something in tandem that Minerva couldn't quite catch.

"Speak up! What do you have to say?"  
The girls both looked up tentatively and once again softly spoke their agreed-upon response.

"It was worth it."

Minerva just looked at the two girls as they started to grin at each other.

Holly turned to Minerva with a hopeful look on her face.

"We think you'd agree, and if you have a Pensieve I'd be willing to share the memory for a small fee!"

"Holly!"

"Well, you wouldn't have to pay of course now that you bailed us out, but if the other professors..."

"HOLLY!"

"Alright, Hermione! Sorry, Professor. Just you."

"Ahh! You're incorrigible. Professor, can we go home now?"

"Yah, can we go back to the Granger's now?"

"Auror! Can I leave the redheaded one here and just take the other?"

"You've already signed for both, Professor. Sorry."

Minerva grumbled a moment.

"No, we're all returning to school. At least there we know that Miss Evans is staying where she'd said she would be! I might also suggest that Miss Granger be checked over by Madame Pomfrey."

"Honestly, Professor McGonagall! I've never felt better!"

"I can attest to that."

"Holly, you're not helping."

"See, her powers of observation are entirely undimmed!"

"Enough!"

At their mentor's gesture, Holly and Hermione stood up together and followed Professor McGonagall out of the DMLE to the elevators and down to the Atrium where Apparation was possible. Minerva turned back to confront her students.

"I just don't see how you two can act so...giddy about this."

Hermione stepped forward to speak discreetly to her favorite teacher. "Well Professor, I ...I think I may ...I may h-have... touched ...God."

Holly then stepped up to wrap Hermione in a tight hug around her shoulders, an unnatural and huge grin spreading across her face.

"And she came back to me, to tell me all about it!"

Professor McGonagall could only watch astounded as Hermione turned in Holly's grip and her two favorite students embraced in a loving hug. With them clutching so closely, it made side-along apparating them to the Hogsmeade station unexpectedly easy...though once they arrived, Professor McGonagall was hard-put to explain why she thought to do so with all the Floo stations readily available.

***


	5. 9402 Striking Flint With Steel

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work.

**Spiral Tangent**: 'Striking Flint With Steel' - The actual process of events that ended with Holly being found in the Slytherin's Punishment Room after killing Marcus Flint

**Placement**: 2nd February 1994; occurs at the end of Chapter 26, posted after Chapter 27 to maintain suspense.

**What you need to know**: Holly Evans attends Hogwarts in place of Harry Potter. During the process of testing for an Animagus form, Holly's body was matured so that she now appears as a somewhat buxom 17 year-old version of herself, though still less than 5' 2" (she'll never be tall). Over her time at Hogwarts, Holly has made an enemy of Marcus Flint by interfering with and anonymously punishing him for his sexually abusing Muggleborn girls at the school. Recently, Pansy Parkinson asked Holly and Hermione to protect her from the abuse of her Housemates, earned from exceeding their House bylaws when she nearly killed Hermione in October with a sabotaged potion. Hermione gave Pansy a bronze coin that was linked to ones held by Holly and Hermione, so that if she were in a critical situation she could call them for help and the link would allow them to track back to her location.

**The other thing you need to know**: This is about rape, torture and an execution. The fact that sex happens is not a high point. You don't need to read this. If you're looking for erotica, the next three Tangents should satisfy as soon as I write them.

_**Memory begins.**_

Holly Evans is sitting on a canopied bed in a Hogwarts dorm room decorated in Gryffindor colors. She is wearing weathered black denims and two layers of cotton mock turtleneck shirts. Lying in her lap is a newer hardbound book. Holly looks up suddenly and closes the book, reaching into the front pocket of her jeans to draw out a single bronze coin. Holly reaches over to the pocket of her work robes that are hanging from a hook on one of the posts of the bed and draws out a weathered piece of blank parchment. She touches the center of the blank page and mumbles something that sounds like "...no good." Lines spread out across the page and Holly proceeds to unfold what is quickly forming into a multi-layered map. Holly scans the map in several places until she takes note of a single area of interest. The map shows a corridor, with three scrolling labels hovering over nearby dots. The labels read 'Pansy Parkinson', 'Marcus Flint' and 'Alvin Bole'. Holly quickly checks over the map once more, noting another label for 'Hermione Granger' that shows her dot quickly moving to the entrance of the Hogwarts Library. Holly says "Mischief Managed" and the map refolds itself and reverts to a blank piece of parchment. Holly quickly dons her robes, stuffing the parchment once more into the inside pocket where it had been previously. From another pocket she draws out a large but thin piece of fabric. As she whips it around her body, Holly disappears from view. Moments later, her shoes at the foot of the bed also disappear.

The perception of the memory is drawn down corridors through the Hogwarts castle, until it begins to slow as it approaches the entrance to the Slytherin dorms, across from a tapestry of a gruesome hunting scene. Further down the corridor can be heard a repetitive wet sucking sound, coming from where two older boys in robes are facing the wall. Barely visible are a pair of knees kneeling on the floor in front of the boys' shoes.

The larger to the two boys can be heard mumbling "Here she comes... here she comes! Ooooh this is a good one, Pansy. You're really getting so good at this!"

As the perception of the memory moves past the tapestry and closer to the trio at the end of the corridor, a yell is heard from two people behind the tapestry.

"_Homenum Revelo!"_ A faint red outline appears around Holly's body, visible even from under her shroud.

"_Mortuus Lacertosus." _A pale yellow beam of magic strikes Holly's body, held there by the caster. Of a sudden, Holly drops to the floor, her feet sticking out from under the Cloak.

"Got her!"

"Hold it on her Bletch!"

From down the corridor the two older boys can be seen to turn and approach the gathering, identified easily now even in the dim light of the corridor as Marcus Flint and Alvin Bole. Three other boys now surrounding Holly's limp body include Miles Bletchley, holding his wand and the yellow beam of his spell pointed at Holly's location. The other two Are Richard Derrick and Adrian Pucey. Derrick reaches down to pull the cloak off of Holly.

"It's not her. It's Evans!"

Pucey laughs. "Even better, mate. Look at those tits! Marcus, we struck gold!"

Flint walks up eyeing their catch appraisingly. "Right. Let take her to the Punishment Room. Pansy it looks like you've been replaced, thanks to your cooperation. I guess you've been punished enough."  
Pansy Parkinson remains at the end of the corridor, weeping quietly while cleaning herself of what appears to be semen on her face. She stands up to follow the others as the gather around Holly's body.

Pucey casts a Stinging Hex that strikes Holly in her left breast, but she makes no movement in reaction.

"What the fuck, Adrian?"

"I was making sure she wasn't faking it."

"Too easy. I heard tell she can resist pain. Try this. _Aguamenti_." A rush of liquid emits from Bole's wand, dousing Holly's face and chest in cold water."  
Bletchley drops his wand's focus and the yellow beam dissipates. Holly begins to cough and wheeze.

"Bletch you boob! Get her under the Hex again!"

"She was drowning you idiot! She can't move muscles under this, remember?"

As Holly finally gets a clear breath, Bletchley once again casts. "_Mortuus Lacertosus."_

"Enough fucking around, let's bring her to the bench."

The assembled boys other than Bletchley lift up Holly's body. Pucey makes sure to grab the Cloak before wrapping his hands around Holly's upper right leg and groping her arse in the process. The group enters the Slytherin dorm once Pansy touches her hand to a non-descript stone, revealing a wide opening.

The group brings Holly through the common room to a space between two bookcases that looks like an old-style wall fountain. The wall fades as they approach and the group wrangles through the narrow entryway past an open door into a darker room with only two wall sconces providing light. At the center of the room is a rough wood table with a slightly curved top. Chains with manacles are attached at the corners of the table, and a straight-back wooden chair is set behind it. The assembly drops Holly unceremoniously onto the table, Bletchley careful to maintain the beam of yellow on her body.

Flint turns around and pushes Pansy out of the room with a forceful shove, saying "We'll deal with you later!" as he shuts the door behind her. The sound of her yelp as she lands on the carpet beyond is cut off as the door closes.

"Pucey, I don't see the gold."  
"What're taking about, Flint? Those melons are ripe!"

"I don't see it. _Diffindo!_" With a slash of Flint's wand, a lash flays across Holly's chest cutting through the layers of cotton to expose her breasts beneath. A slim line of red starts appearing.

"Yeah! Yeah! We need to see 'em! _Diffindo!_"

"_Diffindo!_"

"_Diffindo!_"

"_Diffindo!_"

"Check how the blood is flowing. Merlin this is hot! _Diffindo!_"

"_Diffindo!_"

"_Diffindo!_"

"_Diffindo!_"

"_Diffindo!_"

"Pucey, calm down. I think we've got her clothing unlatched."

"_Diffindo!_"

"_Diffindo!_"

"_Diffindo!_"

"_Diffindo!_"

"Guys are you sick? This isn't like a Petrify! She can feel everything!"

"Fuck off Bletch! _Diffindo!_"

"_Diffindo!_ Yeah, we know!"

"Enough!" Flint throws out his hands and the other boys put back their wands. He reaches forward and rips the numerous strips of bloodstained cloth from around Holly's body. Her skin is a patchwork of thin slices with blood trickling here and there, though the lighter cuts already are beginning to heal. Flint grins. "Oh yeah." With a lustful sneer, he reaches down to part Holly's legs, angling his hand between them. "They call this a Perineum Pinch!" Flint's thumb pushes forcefully into Holly's anus as his fingers jab into her vagina, only lubricated by the pooling of blood that has trailed down Holly's abdomen between her legs. "Pinchy pinchy, Miss Bitchy Bitchy!"

Derrick moves forward to handle Holly's breast, smearing the blood around and pulling on her nipple. Flint pulls out his hand and moves around the bench. "Take a sample boys. It's not like she'll be fresh for long."

Bole steps up to finger Holly's genitals, pushing the flesh aside and taking an inquisitive look. Pucey just stands almost mesmerized by the dripping blood as it slowly flows across Holly's chest to pool in the dip of her throat.

Flint starts to disrobe.

Bletchley pipes up "Flint, what are you doing? I... I thought this was supposed to scare them! We can't..."

Flint cuts off his protest. "We dragged her back to the Punishment Room to do our work, 'cause we can keep her here for days. What'd you think I was gonna do, take pictures?"

"Flint! She has friends. Not many, and even the Granger twat doesn't like her right now but still- wasn't this supposed to be about fear?"

"Oh, she'll be afraid now! They all will! Think, Bletch! She's already a pariah in the press. No one will find her here, and everyone will suspect the little rebel has done a runner from all the ...staring." Flint roughly grabs Holly's breast and squeezes it, gazing madly as he starts to salivate.

"We can enjoy her until she's unattractive, and if she looks like she'll talk then we'll have to kill her and dump the body, but even the great Harry Potter hasn't stepped out from behind Dumbledore's skirts for her- she's alone, which makes her... mine. You just keep that Ragdoll Hex on her while I discipline her troublesome mouth."

Pucey stutters a moment in thought. "B-but Flint, what will the rest of the house say?"

"Catch up Adrian! Every snake hates her and those that don't know well enough to stay quiet"

"Bole, shut up!"

Bletchley's wand begins to sag as his expression turns worried "No. I can't do this."

All the others turn on him.

Flint drops his trousers to the floor and points at Bletchley."You are doing this, or you're taking a place beside her on the bench!"

"Absolutely! This cunt needs some Dick!"

Bole groans at the gross pun. "Merlin's hairy sack! How long have you been wanting to say that, Richard?"

"Just for your entertainment, I intend to say it the whole time I'm fucking her! I'm after Flint!"

"SHADDAP! Bletch! Get your wand unknotted and keep this bitch limp while I train her mouth!"

Flint pulls Holly's body across the bench so that her head lolls over the edge of the table. He grasps her head with both hands, pushing his erect penis into her mouth. After a minute of adjusting the fit, her starts to jam his pelvis forward, forcing his shaft down Holly's throat with abandon.

Flint seethes. "Ohhh, yeah! Feels Good! You just take my dick deep don't you whore? That's a much better use for your fucking mouth! Derrick! Get to working, mate! I might choke her to death if I'm not careful. OOOooh! So nice! Bletch, you twat! Keep your wand up!"

Bletchley's voice wavers in worry. "I think she's choking, Flint!"

Flint pulls out of Holly's mouth, noting the gurgling coming from Holly's throat. Holly's tongue begins to twirl slightly. "_Ssssuusllleseeeaasslllussshhsss!_"

"How's she doing that? Her muscles are all shut off!"

"Holy FUCK!"

Holly's extended tongue snaps outward to wrap around Flint's erect penis like a squid tentacle, with the tips pinching at the base of his scrotum.

"_LaleeaH_!"

"AHHHHHHHHH!"

Spikes have sprung out among the length of Holly's tongue, impaling through Flint's strangled genitals.

Bletch loses his grip on his wand and turns to vomit on the floor. Flint continues to scream as blood starts gushing from every puncture in his todger. Pucey and Derrick stare in horror as Holly's muscular control returns enough for her to tip back and snap her head forward, ripping the lacerated genitals from their home. Holly's tongue retracts the spikes, allowing the blooded soggy meat to drop to the floor in a pile. Holly turns over on the bench and vomits down onto the remains of Flint's manhood.

Flint collapses to the floor clutching for his missing package as Bole rushes up to aim at Holly from between his stunned companions.

"_Crucio_!"

Holly twitches and convulses, her flailing body flops to the stone floor. Bole shifts position to continue the spell; Holly suffers on the ground for another minute until Bole lifts the Unforgiveable curse. Her body lies limply on the floor. She doesn't appear to be breathing.

Bole steps forward to check her pulse.

Holly's right hand shoots to Bole's neck.

"_Torpeo_."

The numbing charm drops Bole to the floor over Holly as he loses all feeling below his throat. Holly grabs Bole's wand and pushes his limp body off of her own.

Derrick and Pucey start fumbling frantically for their wands.

"That... (spits on the floor) ...was disgusting. You boys should never have been able to even consider these actions, but instead you had to fight not to do them immediately. I have only one word for you."

"Yeah? Fuck you too, bitch!"

"No, _Sectumsempra_."

Richard Derrick falls to the floor screaming, leaving both his legs behind from where they have been severed at his knees.

"Bole's wand works really well with Dark hexes. _Sectumsempra_."

Adrian Pucey's right arm falls to the floor in several slices, along with his wand.

"_Sectumsempra_."

Pucey's left hand and forearm are sliced lengthwise.

"Make that, my new wand is good with Punishments. _Sectumsempra._"

Pucey drops to the ground as his ankles lose connection with his feet. Holly turns to Bole's limp body.

"You shouldn't feel left out, Alvin. _Sectumsempra_."

Alvin Bole's left arm and leg are cut deeply and begin spouting blood.

"Oops. Didn't quite make it through that time. _Sectumsempra_."

Bole's limbs become fully separated, blood flowing from both exposed ends.

"_Sectumsempra_."

Richard Derrick's hands are sliced off from where they had been gripping onto one of his amputated legs. Holly then turns her blood-covered lacerated naked body and stalks a few paces to stand over Miles Bletchley. The quivering Slytherin has been witnessing the carnage from a crouch in the corner of the Punishment Room, and now looks up to Holly's shadowed face, feeling the fury in her eyes as they bore down into his own.

"You..."

"_C-confrigo_!"

Flint's spell catches Holly off-guard, slamming her body hard enough to bounce her across the chamber and smash into the far wall. Flint starts crawling toward Holly's body where it has landed in a heap by the door.

"F-f-f-f-fucking...b-b-b-b-bitch! Thought I was done, did ya? F-flint's no piker! I was just gonna f-fuck you stupid and wipe your b-brain until you drool like Lockhart, but now? N-now I'm g-g-gonna get meself fixed up and make you my bitch every n-night for the rest of your life! First things first, though. I'm cuttin' out that FUCKING TONGUE!"

Flint grabs Holly's left arm and pulls her onto her back next to him.

"AaaaAAAAH!"

"Broken, eh? You deserve much more, you sick bitch! What's that sound?"

Holly swings her right arm over her body to impact into the remains of Flint's crotch, an arc of crackling magic following the path of her fist as it strikes hard enough to shatter Flint's pelvis and the stone beneath it. The impact forces all the air from Flint's lungs and his wand goes flying, but the older boy doesn't seem to acknowledge the damage.

"W-w-weak ass cunt. You g-going to take me t-t-to Dumbledore now?"

Holly jabs a simple punch into Flint's throat, causing him to make choking noises as he tries to force air through his partially collapsed windpipe. Holly then grabs Flint's wand and rises from her position on the floor but collapses immediately when her left leg gives out.

"_Ferula._" Holly's broken leg is splinted and wrapped tightly with her conjured bandages. After a minute of awkward fumbling, Holly rises to standing once more. Tossing aside Flint's wand, she limps over to her discarded things and draws a potion knife from her quiver, holding it gingerly in her left hand; the break in her upper arm has rendered her hand almost unusable. Holly then sidles over to Bletchley, pulling him up from his curled ball until he is kneeling upright and able to see over the Bench.

"I want you to see this, for some reason. I'm not going to hurt you because you tried to stop it. You were part of it though, so you should see it through, and remember."

Holly limps over to Flint, grasps his shirt collar with her right hand and drags him up and over the Punishment Bench so he is lying on top with his head hanging over one side and his legs over the other, much as Flint had positioned her earlier. Holly locks the chains in place and slowly limps around until she's standing to the side of Flint's head facing Miles Bletchley. Holly grabs the potions knife in her right hand firmly and touches a gem in the guard with her thumb.

"_Dotanuki._" The knife grows suddenly, changing into a Japanese battle sword.

"This is what we do with mad dogs that can't learn."

Flint finally finds his voice.

"You can't just cut my head off!"

"I'm not. This..."

"You can't!"

"...is a judgment."

This is... YOU'RE JUST SOME..."

"For the premeditated gang-rape of..."

"...MUDBLOOD CUNT! YOU..."

"...Penelope Clearwater and myself, I'm..."

"...CAN'T MURDER ME!"

"...taking my pound of flesh."

Flint stops ranting to stare at Holly in horror. Holly looks down at Flint's fearful expression, his desperate, pathetic look of begging and stops. Wracking sobs shake her whole body, tears streaming down her blood-covered face to drip onto her chest. Her face twists up into a grimace as Holly releases a vengeful scream, her jaw open wide to release the power of her voice.

"AAAAAAAAIIIEEEEEEEAH!"

Holly swings the blade in her right hand over her head in a flashing arc and brings it down until its tip is stuck in the stone floor. Flint's skull just above the eyebrows falls to the tiles. Sections of brain follow it after a minute, impacting the floor with a series of very wet splats. Holly stumbles backward and slips painfully to the floor, dislodging the sword from where the tip had stuck into the stone.

Holly stares at the lump of brain near her feet.

"Maybe two pounds."

Holly crawls back to her quiver, returns the sword to a potions knife form and sheathes it, and then finds her holly wand under her shredded clothes next to the still-intact Invisibility Cloak.

"Miles?"

"Y-yes?"

"_Stupefy_."

Miles Bletchley falls back unconscious into the corner of the room.

"_Expecto Patronum_." Nothing appears.

"Fuck. _Expecto Patronum!" _A silvery white owl forms from the end of Holly's wand, winging its way around the room to settle on her knee.

"That's better. Go to Professor McGonagall and lead her back here." The summoned ethereal owl turns and wings its way through the door of the Punishment Room.

"How did I deserve this?"

_**Memory ends.**_

...but kicks off a second [edited] memory...

_**Memory begins.**_

Holly is reading an extract from her mother Lily's journals.

_Dearest Lily,_

_I understand your frustration with the restrictions placed upon you and your friend within this society. I had acted as Matron to a number of promising young girls as they made inroads and innovations into what you describe as 'the Science of Magic'. So many girls from the Families would start on a career path but find their ambitions redirected into family and manor management. It was always the muggleborn witches that could not be deterred, but it was never more than a joke amongst Nicholas' friends- 'there goes another new-blooded Witch, ready to turn the world upside down again!' His friends always looked forward to seeing what these bright stars would come up with. Then subtly but quickly it all changed. A policy, buried deep within the Ministry had begun to worm its way through our culture, and my protégé's began to suffer from unusual accidents, or find themselves quickly married into minor houses or fall precipitously to the latest Dark Lord. They fall to the Ministry's darkest policy: By hook or by crook, 'Bright Witches Must Be Dimmed'. I cannot say exactly why they believe this must be so. Certainly, I find my activities in saving bright young witches like you more gratifying, knowing how unquestionably and fanatically the Ministry has followed that policy since its enactment. Let this be a warning to you. Excel quietly. Publish anonymously. Glow brightly, but only under the covers. I know it doesn't suit your Gryffindor tendencies to act thusly, but I have lost too many good friends to their belief that 'it won't get in MY way.' Please, please, stay alive._

_With love, _

_Perenelle_

_**Memory ends.**_

***

_Mum, this is the after-part from when you killed Flint. I didn't put it in the journal. I don't think Grandmum would approve._

_**Transcription: 2nd February, 1994 starting around 4:30 PM**_

Holly is still sitting against the wall of the Slytherin Punishment Room, having sent her Patronus to find Minerva a few minutes ago.

**Holly**: "_Ferula_."

Holly's left arm is splinted and bound. Holly carefully moves her fingers in her left hand to her satisfaction.

**Holly**: "Hang on. I have an idea."

Another Holly enters the Room looking almost the same as the one on the floor, only she has healed somewhat and the blood has dried on her body like warpaint. Her leg and arm are also both splinted.

**Holly (Turned)**: "Holly."

**Holly**: "Oh! Holly! Do we have a plan then?"

**Holly (Turned)**: "Yes we do! First, I need to stop these idiots from bleeding to death, or we'll be facing bigger charges."

Holly (Turned) reaches down to grab the quiver, pulling out the ashwood wand.

**Holly**: "You should burn off the wand arm stumps though- give them a handicap to remember."

**Holly (Turned)**: "Good thought, I remember having it now. _Exuro viscus_, _Tela cruor_."

Having stemmed the bloodflow from Alvin Bole, Holly (Turned) walks over to Adrian Pucey.

**Holly (Turned)**: "_Exuro viscus_, _Tela cruor_."

Finally she turns toward Dick Derrick.

**Holly (Turned)**: "_Exuro viscus_, _Tela cruor_. Now we only have a few more minutes, so here's how this works. You need to extract a memory of everything that has happened from when we first felt Pansy's signal to when you sent the Patronus."

Holly takes her holly wand and places it against her temple.

**Holly (Turned)**: "Wait! Use the ash wand, or they'll ask where the memory went."

Holly catches the ashwood wand tossed to her by her time-shifted doppelganger. She draws out a lengthy memory strand from her temple and puts it into an empty potions vial Holly (Turned) has drawn from the quiver. Holly rolls it over to her counterpart who picks up the vial and shakes the noodle-like strand inside it for a moment and then returns the vial to the quiver.

**Holly (Turned)**: "Now get up and I'll take your place there. Take the Cloak and Obliviate me of everything from when Pansy's coin buzzed; give it a password that Newt can scribe later for unlocking. Turn back two hours- you'll need the time to get a hold of yourself and scope out their Library undetected. Before you come in, call Dobby to take the quiver, Cloak and such back to Lily's for safe keeping. Last thing- hit me with a Festering hex to make the wounds appear fresh.

Holly and Holly (Turned) rearrange themselves making sure not to touch each other in the process. Holly picks up the quiver from where Holly (Turned) has laid it on the floor and wraps the Cloak around her body.

**Holly (Turned)**: "Don't heal your bones, just live with the splints for a bit."

**Holly**: "Yeah, I expected that."

**Both Hollys**: "I so want to kiss you right now."

Holly smiles a little. Holly (Turned) sheds a single tear.

**Holly**: "_Obliviate_. You can't remember anything since you felt Pansy's coin activate. You assume it is a natural safety precaution to handle the trauma. Passphrase: 'Holly is such a quiet, gentle soul.' _Dormus_."

Holly (Turned) falls into an easy slumber from the Napping Charm. Holly wraps the Cloak around her battered body as Newt pokes up from amidst the hair of both Hollys, blinks once at its counterpart and retreats.

Holly stands for a moment and steps over to Miles Bletchley.

**Holly**: "_Ennervate._ Hello, Miles. _Obliviate_. You don't remember being woken up or me casting these spells. _Redimio Coactum_. If you open your mouth to speak, you will confess your involvement in these crimes and those of any other Slytherin male you see. Holly Evans is the only one who can absolve you of your guilt. You must redeem yourself in her eyes, or she will most likely torture you or kill you when next you meet, as you deserve. You will think through how best to balance the scales for all your sins. _Stupefy_."

Cloaked, Holly carefully peeks out of the door to the Punishment Room and sees no one hanging about.

Holly quickly places Marauder Monitors everywhere subtle she can think of, both in the Punishment Room and the Common Room.

Holly stands Cloaked in a corner and Turns back two spins, watching the Common Room rewind- going backwards, she sees herself talking to Dobby then disappearing, Pansy walking backward from the dorm hall to the floor in front of the Room, Pansy seeming to leap upward into the room, the rapists dragging her backward through to the entrance led backwards by Pansy, the rapists walking backward into the room and Pansy being surrounded by them, Pansy fumbling something, Pansy being led backward into the Room, the rapists walking backward out of the dorm spaces and then nothing.

Holly retreats to a broom closet and cries and retches and cries. Nearly an hour later, Holly cleans up and exits to the Common Room once more under the Cloak and starts pillaging the stacks. Books disappear into her Cloak for almost another hour from throughout the bookshelves.

Holly stops her library spelunking when she sees the boys enter the common room in a group.

**Flint**: "Time to check up on our dog."

Bole and Pucey laugh.

**Derrick**: "It's too bad she's so young. She barely has any meat on her."

**Bletchley**: "You're sick, Dick."

The group enters the Punishment Room through the disappearing fountain. Holly moves under the Cloak to closer position. Pansy can be heard to be sobbing quietly as chains are heard being unlatched.

**Flint**: "Come here and stop dragging your ass. Put on a cloak. We don't need to look at your sagging bits to know how pathetic you are."

Flint drags Pansy out of the Punishment Room, followed by the rest of the entourage. She suddenly drops to the ground.

**Bole**: "Oi! Check this! Pansy's dropping Knuts from her cunt."

**Pansy**: "It's mine!"

**Pucey**: "Is that, like, all you're worth now?"  
**Bletchley**: "Hang on. Why would she keep a coin up there? Bloody uncomfortable. Did one of you tell her to do that?"  
**Flint**: "Miles, I think you should find out why."  
The boys surround Pansy where she is kneeling on the rug clutching the bronze coin. Bletchley turns her head to face him and points his wand in her face.

**Bletchley**: "Open your eyes, Pansy, or I'll use a flame cutter instead."  
Pansy fearfully opens her eyes, her face then forming into a mask of defiance briefly before losing all expression.

**Bletchley**: "_Legilimens_. Hmm... the coin... is a signaling charm. I can't figure out who gets signaled though."

**Pucey**: "Didn't Bulstrode say that the dog here was chatting with that Gryffie bookworm, Granger?"  
**Bole**: "Yeah yeah. Daphne said they stopped them midst conversation in the loo a few days back. If anyone could set up a quick Charm like this, it'd be her."

**Bletchley**: "You've got the right of it, boys. Our Miss Parkinson here has been blabbing. To make the coin work, squeeze it three times. She expects her to come running, possibly with a teacher."

**Flint**: "Barely anyone's about right now. Let's make this work for us. We'll trap the twat with a trick and see what she's been told. Pansy, if you want to save your life, you'll tell us anything we need to know. Right now your arse isn't worth this coin!"

**Pansy**: "You've got it all! You've got it all... I just couldn't stand it anymore."

Pansy breaks down in sobbing tears.

**Bole**: "None of that! I think you should be seen doing something fun if we're to lure in our intruder. Time for you to kiss the vine again."

The group drags Pansy to her feet and exits the common room. Holly walks forward a few paces, thinking. Holly waits. Minutes later she sees herself being dragged limply by the crowd of boys into the Punishment Room. Pansy is ejected to land at Holly's feet. Pansy retreats to her dorm crying loudly. Holly removes the Cloak.

**Holly**** (Turned)**: "Dobby."

Dobby appears in a pop.

**Dobby**: (squeak!)

Holly unloads her collection into the elf's waiting arms until she is once more naked except for the blood stains, two splints and the ashwood wand. Tapping herself on the head, she disappears under a Disillusionment Charm. The ashwood wand drops to the floor at Dobby's feet.

**Holly**** (Turned)**: "Take everything back to the madhouse."

Dobby disappears once more with a pop. Several silent minutes pass until a thump is heard, followed by another with a different tone. Holly's Owl Patronus soars through the door a minute later and pauses in front of her.

**Holly**** (Turned)**: "You have your instructions, now go!"

The Owl zooms away; Holly enters the Punishment Room and begins to enact the other half of her conversation.

_**Transcription ends.**_

From the Journal of Holly Evans.

_**Transcription: 4th February, 1994 starting 9:18 AM**_

Holly is waking up in hospital. She is covered by several layers of white cotton blankets, but is otherwise unclothed. The only thing on her bedside table is a ceramic cup with cold water. Just beyond the curtains around the bed, two Aurors in blue robes can be seen standing guard.

Holly whispers in a croaking voice.

**Holly**: "Newt?"

Newt hops off of Holly's head to slide down her arm until she is standing on the blanket.

**Holly**: "Newt, wha's... happ'ning? Why'm I in ...h-hospital ...again?"

Newt writes onto the blanket.

**Newt**: (written) 'Mum, you asked me not to tell you exactly what happened, or there would be no point in Obliviating yourself. You don't want to remember this.'

**Holly**: "I need t'get a handle, here. Wha... what can you tell me, that other people know?"

**Newt**: (written) 'Minerva was lead into the Slytherin dorms by your Patronus. They found you, Marcus Flint, Miles Bletchley, Alvin Bole, Richard Derrick and Adrian Pucey in a hidden room, in various states of undress and dis-assembly with you being naked except for some scraps of cloth. You had numerous cuts and bruises, plus your left arm and leg were broken, but that's all been documented and healed. Bole, Derrick and Pucey have lost their wand arms to a cauterizing wound and are at St. Mungo's getting the other limbs reattached. Marcus Flint is dead. Miles Bletchley isn't speaking but appeared unharmed before he departed for his family's estate. You have two Aurors standing guard over you at all times.'

**Holly**: "OK."

**Newt**: (written) 'Mum, do you want to know...'

**Holly**: "Nothing. I chose to forget. There's a reason. I have enough to think about."

**Newt**: (written) 'But Mum...'

Holly lays back in the bed, her eyes almost shut. Newt absorbs all the ink back out of the blanket, leaving it clean and white once more.

_**Transcription ends**_

Author's Tactical Notes: 'Dotanuki' is a 'brand' of katana forged heavy and unattractive for battle use. The word roughly translates to 'cleaves through thick torsos'. If you're wondering where Holly heard of such a thing, you can read 'Lone Wolf and Cub' by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima; some of the comics were published in English as early as 1987.

_Redimio Coactum_ is my version of the Compulsion Charm, translated as 'Bind Compulsion'.

_Mortuus Lacertosus_ is the Ragdoll Hex, translated as 'Deaden Muscles'. Unlike a petrify, the body is limp and moveable and can feel everything, but also unlike a petrify the caster must keep the hex on the target or the effect fades quickly (just not immediately).

_Exuro viscus _is a Cauterizing spell (literally: burn flesh).

_Tela cruor_ is the Blood Clotting spell.

_Torpeo_ is the Numbing Charm- if you put enough oomph into it in the right place it'll act like a spinal block.

_Dormus_ is a napping spell that only works on targets you care for that allows the target to fall unconscious naturally. _Somnus_ is the unkind version of this, usually only effective on unwary children and muggles; _Stupefy_ is an actual Hex that must be countered in order to awaken a target before the spell effect fades (usually several hours).

[The above are generally non-canon other than _Stupefy_]

_Ferula_ is a medical spell to summon forth splint and bandages, used by Lupin towards the end of Prisoner of Azkaban on Ron's chewed-up leg.

_Homenum Revelo_ is a spell Hermione uses in Deathly Hallows to check Grimmauld Place for other occupants. It may not be canon that it would outline the invisible, but I figure if used in a small specified area it might be more effective.

Aside from Parseltongue techniques, Holly exhibited some wandless magic in this fight- in all cases, she needed to touch the target for the spell to work. If you're wondering when she picked up that talent, ask yourself whether Basilisk venom and Phoenix tears in her bloodstream would make for a good wand focus. The first time she exhibited this was against the Boggart in Chapter 18, when she cast Riddikulus without a wand in hand (it had a link to her mind at the time, so touch wasn't needed to send it flying).


	6. 9403a A Fair Arrangement

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work.

Spiral Tangent: 'A Fair Arrangement' - Natalia and Holly embark upon a physical relationship. Very physical.

Placement: March 1994; Chapter 28

What you need to know: Holly Evans attends Hogwarts in place of Harry Potter, but she has recently discovered that she actually _is_ Harry, and can now turn into him much like an Animagus form. Auror cadet N. Tonks has been assigned by Professor McGonagall to help our hero reconcile this double life, due to Tonks' experiences in being able to change herself into a man as a Metamorphmagus. Holly was recently sent to Azkaban for killing Marcus Flint but Tonks enabled her escape wherein they replaced Holly in her cell with a Holly-like simulacrum, a homunculus that requires a special potion 'booster' to prevent Sim-Holly's body from rapidly deteriorating after a week or so. Holly is hiding out in her mother's hidden secret lab for the rest of her 3 month sentence. Holly gave Tonks the name Natalia when she complained that her given name Nymphadora was too suggestive and demeaning. They've been friends ever since (a whole month). If I've missed any other necessary details, I recommend you read the whole story!

'I knew things wouldn't be simple with our Holly-replacement plan, but I didn't expect the long term plan to fall apart at the first obstacle.'

"Hollllllllleeeeee! (SOB!) I can't go back there, Holly! Never ag-ag-agahahnhahnnnn!"

Natalia Tonks fell to the floor of the library in Lily's Madhouse, a sobbing weeping mess, her Auror cloak left behind her on the staircase. Unfortunately, the target of her overwhelming angst wasn't in the room. Several minutes later, Holly wandered into the library from the loo, reading from one of her mother's early journals.

"Hiya, 'Talia. You'll never guess this! My mother used to be best friends with Snape! They even had sex once. Hey. What are you doing on the floor?"

"You fucking wench, I'm doing the knitting! WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING?!"

"Yelling, in a small enclosed space. Ow." Holly rubbed her ear with the heel of her hand.

"I have been through HELL today! I am not going back, do you hear me?"

"Did you do the exercises? Did you try to separate from your emotions through self-control?"

"Yes, yes, YES! I did all your hokey mumbo jumbo but it's a bad job! None of it made 5 minutes difference!"

"Well, what do you want me to do? I can send you a Patronus every few hours but people will begin to wonder why you're getting glow-in-the-dark message owls all the time."

"I don't care, I can't take it! I can't take it! I can't... I can't be an Auror! I'm going to be washed out an' you'll have to run an'... an'... an'... Oh, I've fucked it all up again!" Natalia began crying loudly once more, prompting Holly to place her book on the Octogonagall table with her glasses and sit down on the rug, taking her friend into a caring embrace.

"Shh, shh, Natalia. I'm sorry. Don't worry about this. We'll find another way. Worst case, I'll go back in and smuggle along a mattress-sized lump of chocolate for me to sleep on. For sure it won't spoil, will it? The place is nearly icebox temp already."  
Natalia started to calm down, her sniffles interspersed with Holly's rocking her in her arms. Natalia had both hands clutched around Holly's arm, holding her close to her chest. Holly used the free hand to stroke the hair away from her sobbing friend's face.

"You'd still get chocolate all over your toes..."

"Leading me to expand my reputation with the Aurors to include sucking my own feet. It's almost worth it to see how the Prophet handles the scandal."

Natalia gave a weak chuckle and then looked up towards Holly's face.

"You'd do that? You'd really go back?"  
"Well, yeah. It's my sentence, not yours. You've gone completely above the call and beyond the pale in helping me, to the point of putting your future at risk. Why'd you do that, anyway?"  
"(Snif) 'Cause I promised you I would."

"Well, yeah. That was poor judgment on your part. I feel bad about taking advantage of you that way. In fact..."

"Oh, Holly! No! What you made me do- it was the proudest moment of my life. To know I was going to run back into that place to help you- I'd never done something so courageous and good ever before! I know you forced me into it, but that lended me the strength to do what I felt was right for once."  
"Nevertheless, I don't want you thinking you owe me at this point. By my magic, I release you from your vow to help me sort out my life, Auror Tonks."

"Holly! No!"

A blue string of faded light appears between the two girls, snaps in half and fades from view.

"Oh, what'd you go and do that for?!"

"I have some very specific feelings about being in control of my own mind, Natalia. I don't like taking it away from others, but lately I've had a hard time trusting people. It's a bit of a conundrum, really. One of many."  
"Well, this is one time you should have trusted me and left the vow in place! The only reason I could stand being in that place at all today was knowing that the magical vow was helping me to fulfill your will. Now I'll have nothing (sob)..."  
"Natalia, don't you want to own your mind?"  
"NO! You don't get it because you're strong-willed; I'll never be a leader or a decisive person, because I just want to help. I just want to help. That's why I want to be an Auror. They take vows that force them to do what's right and stand up for the law. Without that, I'm... I'm just... a sex toy."

"Who in the HELL ever told you that?"

"Look, Holly. My life is not like yours. I don't have a destiny. I'm not a player. I just happen to have an unusual talent, but all I'd want to do with it without some external guidance is act the life of the party. I'm just a fool with delusions of importance."

"OK, first of all, I find it interesting that you become eloquent as soon as your ego crashes. Second, you are the single most important person in my world right now. If I'm all destiny-ridden, how can you be meaningless?"

Natalia turned in Holly's arms so that she was looking up into the burgundy-haired girl's face.

"Holly? Do you really mean that?"

"Yes. There is no..."  
Holly was interrupted as Natalia reached up and drew their faces together, kissing Holly tenderly once, and then more sensually the second time. Holly returned the kiss half-heartedly due to her being startled by the change in Natalia's emotional tone. Natalia broke off the contact, closing her eyes dejectedly and rolling her lips inward to take in the taste of Holly's kiss, as if to savor it.

"Natalia..."  
"You don't want me. I get it."  
"Well, no. I mean yes, but you... God, I'm dumb. Show don't tell."  
Holly pulled Natalia up so that they were sitting in opposite directions but with their torsos twisted to face each other. She looked into Natalia's dejected face and drew her into a kiss once more, plunging her tongue deep into the older girl's mouth with much passion and nuance. Natalia was swept up immediately in the enthusiastic snog, shifting her position so that the two girls both had leverage enough to exert force and passion into their kissing. Natalia broke the kiss once more but kept her hands on Holly's shoulder and neck.

"Wait! Wait! Wait. We can't be doing this!"

"Why not?"

"Well, because... you're underage. We agreed about that before."  
"We agreed on that at the time for two reasons. One, I had just broken up with Hermione and thought we could still reconcile."  
"Yeah, but the other reason was more important!"

"Maybe to you...The other reason was because you were under vows to uphold the law. Having busted out of prison with your aid, I see those vows aren't killing you or anything..."  
"Well, yeah. They were just promises, really. But the law still says..."  
"Natalia, let me remind you; you BUSTED ME OUT OF JAIL. I don't think if anyone else catches us here that they'll care a whit about me falling under your sexual influence, as you'll be going back to Azkaban WITH me for aiding a felon's escape."

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh'."

Holly smiles to herself and then stares deeply into Natalia's eyes. "Accept a little external influence for the moment. Tell me how you feel about me using as few words as possible."

"Ummm..." Natalia moved her right hand down to caress Holly's left breast through the double layers of her mock turtlenecks. Holly's breath caught in her throat and her eyelids drooped to nearly closed as she focused on the unexpected feeling.

"Does that begin to explain things for ya, Hols?"

"Not in the least. (Gasp!) You'll need to be more eloquent."

"Alright." Natalia reached to draw her wand and pointed the tip at Holly's collarbone. Before Holly could notice the movement, Natalia whispered a spell. "_Obfirma Yoshi._" Natalia dragged the tip of the wand down the front of Holly's chest, leaving a zipper along its path as she continued to aim lower and lower on Holly's body, until she was forced to stop with the tip of her wand between Holly's jean-covered legs. Holly certainly felt that and watched with fascination the path of the wand's travel.

"Neat trick..."

Returning her wand to her arm holster, Natalia reached up to pull down on the triangular pull, slowly opening Holly's clothing to the warm air of the library. As her progress headed downward, Holly breathed in a gasp of air, swelling her ribcage and revealing her pale breasts with their rosy areolas. Natalia continued to pull on the zipper but shifted her position to allow her other hand to envelop one of the now hard-nippled teats uncovered by her activity. Holly sucked in a deep breath when Natalia began caressing and massaging her breast.

"Ohh, no brassiere. Ya know you might want to get one to help support these luvlies."

"Yeah, well they're a recent ... (groan) (Gasp) development."

"And here I thought you might have been sending me a signal. They are sooooo touchable."

Natalia cut off Holly's gasp of assent with another deep kiss. Holly began to moan and grind her thighs together under Natalia's strong-handed massaging. She also dreamily noted that Natalia's left hand had stopped pulling on the zipper where it ended, at the opening of her nether lips. Natalia didn't move her hand from there, merely exerting a small amount of pressure against Holly's clitoral hood with the zipper pull. Natalia returned to kissing Holly deeply while working her breast, pulling it, squeezing it tenderly and roughly in turns. Holly was too wrapped up in the rush of being felt so expertly, that she merely replied to Natalia's emphatic caressing with fierce and forceful deep-tongue kisses accompanied by a quickly growing song of moans and yelps into her lover's mouth while her arms were locked straight down to the floor to allow her chest to push up into Natalia's grip.

"Mmmm! MMNnnnnhhh! Hnnh! Hnnnnnnhhh! Oh! Ahh! Ahh! 'Talia! Ahnn! AHnn AHHHNNN! MMmmMMMMnnh! ANnnHH! AHHHNNN! OH God! AHHHNNN!"

"Do you (kiss)... Mmmmm... do you (kiss).... do you (lick)... like this?"

"AHHHNN! AHHNN! AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Natalia leaned back from their broken kiss as Holly screamed out her orgasm. The moment Holly's breathing resumed, Natalia pushed her onto her back and climbed over her, enveloping the other breast with her wet lips.  
"OHHhhhhhh! Talia! I can't believe howwwwwoooooohhhhh! Omigodomigodomigodomigod. Ohh that's sooo goood! Ahh! Ahh! AHH! AHHH! AHHHH! AHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh!"

(SluurrPOP!) "You really have sensitive nips there, Hols. Did you just cum again?"

"'Talia, you... you... yes. You're the first to appreciate my breasts."

"Ohhh, I doubt that..." Natalia switched to licking and suckling on the breast she had been fondling, squeezing it up to bring the engorged nipple to her waiting mouth and hesitating as she watched the tender flesh turn more reddish with the additional blood flow. She dropped her lips onto the areola and bit down on it, covering the sharpness of her teeth with her lips. Holly screamed out again and started to seethe through her clenched jaw.

"AAAOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH GOD! (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) AAAAAAAAAAhhhhhh!"

Holly turned a somewhat disconcerted expression onto Natalia as she looked up into Holly's eyes to gauge her enjoyment.  
"Something wrong there, Hols?"  
Holly growled and scrambled up and around to grasp at the bottom of Natalia' shirts and pulled them quickly over her head. As both girls rose to a crouch, Holly stripped off her now zipper-edged clothing to peel them down to her waist and jumped forward to grasp Natalia's face in her hands and force a very passionate deep kiss from the older girl. Natalia's head was swimming with desire and appreciation of Holly's kissing skills, but she began to smile even wider when Holly broke their kiss and proceeded to lick her way down to Natalia's breasts. Talia leaned back to offer her new lover her chest while propping herself up on her arms extended behind her. With Holly's active tongue wrapped around her right breast she arched backward and groaned in appreciation.

"UMMmmmmmm. Hols, you have a gifted tongue. Whoo! Wait, how long is that...?"  
Natalia's eyes started to swell large as she noticed that Holly's tongue, in addition to being split, was now extended to nearly ten inches in length and truly was wrapping fully around her breast, the twin tips teasing her nipple deliciously.

"Whoa, honey! Where have you been all my nights?! (Gasp!)"

Holly smiled while continuing her tender but strong tongue-lashing, moving to the other breast to cause a new hiss and moan from Natalia as she threw her head back in rapture. Holly had been grasping and caressing Natalia's chest and sides, moving down to give a smart grope of her arse but now began unbuttoning Natalia's pants; Talia helpfully rose her hips from the ground to allow Holly to begin peeling down the stretchy fabric of both pants and panties, exposing Natalia's bare but well-moistened vulva to the warm air. Holly moved her hands once more to support Natalia's arse as she drank in a breath of Natalia's musky scent and her tongue then whipped down from fondling the breast, trailing down Natalia's firm and well-defined abdomen to slip down past her (interestingly enough- pierced) labia lips and straight into Natalia's hot vagina. Talia gasped and groaned, dropping her shoulders clumsily to the floor as Holly's ministrations brought her to a sudden climax.

"Ooooh that's so sexy.... WHOA! (Thump) WHAAHHHhhhhHHHHHHHH HAHN! HAHN! HAHN! HAHN! HAHN! HHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! "

Holly withdrew her tongue slowly and delicately as Natalia's spasming cunt relaxed its hold. As the last of the split tip was extracted, Holly let her tongue drag upwards to spread some of Natalia's own lubricating flow over her clitoris, causing Talia a sudden aftershock orgasm. Holly gently relaxed her grip on Natalia's hips, allowing the older girl to lay prone on the rug and enjoy the feeling of post-orgasmic bliss vibrating through her. Holly sat up and squirmed in her position, as if working out a shudder that was passing from her buttocks up her spine into her neck. She opened her eyes and looked at Natalia, who was gazing at the ceiling and shaking her head in wonder and smiling with a tear or two in her eyes.

"Hah, hah, Holly?"

"Yes, Talia?"

"Soooo, you like me then?"

"Yes, Natalia. I like you very much."

"How much?"

Holly lifted herself up from the crouch, removing the rest of her clothing and crawling across the rug to wrap herself around the other girl's body, her leg thrown over Natalia's hips and her arms laying across her chest to grip the opposite shoulder.

"Enough. I'd like for you to sleep in my bed. I'd like you to make love to me. I'd like it... if I could put trust in you."  
Natalia turned her gaze suddenly to look Holly in her eyes. "That's the big thing, isn't it? It's not the sex, it's the trust."  
"Not... exactly. Natalia..." Holly expression began to look panicked and fearful.

"Hey, hey, Holly. I don't think there's anything you could ask me now that would surprise me. After all, we've already broken the law and committed acts against nature, eh?"

"I..." Holly began tearing up and crying then.  
Natalia turned and faced Holly, tightening their embrace. "What is it, lover? What could possibly frighten you?"  
"I... I want you to take my virginity."  
"Ummm, okay. You beat out the surprising question challenge. Isn't it a bit of late for that?"

Holly wiped away her tears and looked up with a quick laugh.  
"Natalia, you are the only person in the world who can totally understand the depth of this request, and yet not get it when I ask. I want you to take ALL my virginities. I'm tired of being vulnerable. The evil in this world wants to rip something from me, and I'm tired of fighting to preserve it when all I want is to get past it and move on to destroying all the people who make girls live in fear. I want you to have sex with me as a man, and while we're at it, I'd like to find out why men are such animals by doing it myself. All ways, Natalia. No one else can do this."

"Oh, Holly. Are you sure? I mean, I am completely, absolutely, totally, unrelentingly, ecstatically...."  
"Yeah, you're on board. I get it."  
"Enthusiastically, wantonly, completely and totally..."  
"You said those..."  
"...irritatingly anxious to help you out with this. It's just..."

"What?"

"Well, just cause yer cherry's been popped doesn't mean someone forcing you to take their todger won't hurt, even if they're gentle y'know? In the end, it's still an act of hateful violence, or at least demeaning ...ahh...subjugation, that's the word. I mean, how did you feel, trading Thomas' orgasm in your mouth for the spunk? In some circles, you'd be seen like a groupie keeping a memento. So how did it make you feel?"

"Huh. Well, I felt good giving him pleasure until I knew he had forced me into it, then I felt violated. Everything else was just me being scary to cover my shame at being played. I suppose you're right. You're smarter than you act."

"Nah, not smarter. Wiser maybe. That comes from experience. You'll have me caught up in no time, I'm sure. My talents lead me to trouble. You're like a dogpark for trouble- any in range is encouraged to stop by an' dump on you, y'know, make its mark. I guess what I'm trying to say is yes, I'll do you. All ways and with affection. Just don't expect it to protect you."

"Protect me..."

"Holly?"

Holly's gaze shifted downward, her eyes now focused and alert. Her look was one of concentration, though it began to grow more fiercely joyous as she started to smirk to herself while mumbling.

"Hols, it concerns me that we were just talking about all-ways sex and we're laying together naked on your carpet while you mumble about dark fools, vital comedy, and runes on shakers. Am I missing something?"

Holly grasped Natalia and hugged her quickly, an irrepressible grin on her face.

"Natalia, thank you so much! The Dark fool! Vital Humours! Runes placed on Chakras! I want to do this... all-ways thing but we need to wait... um, about a week. I just need to dig into something first..."

Holly's look became more mischievous, leading Natalia to reach over and turn Holly's face to her own.

"Holly, I know I agreed to help you sort out things, and I'm willing to wait for the whole nine yards and all..."

Natalia almost looked sad with her eyebrows furrowed, looking imploringly at Holly.

"Talia? What's wrong?"

"Wrong? Not a thing. I've just been thinking through what we'll be doing to each other and I have to say, waiting a week is not looking likely at this point."

Natalia let her hand glide down Holly's chest, trail a little circle around her navel and then turn over to slip down between Holly's legs. Holly immediately groaned and bit her lower lip as Natalia began stroking the soft labial lips that were swelling with stimulation.

"Al-alright. More Holly and Talia fun today. And tomorrow. The next day. (Gasp!) Mmmmm! And I'll be working on a solution. I think I know how to solve our problems."  
Natalia smiled lightly as she changed her fondling to insert two fingers into Holly's vagina, while continuing to stimulate Holly's clit with her thumb. "And what problems would those be?"

"Oohhhhmmmm... can't remember. If it comes back to me in a few hours, I promise you'll think I'm a mad genius though."

"So we have a few hours, then. Before your brain will be needed."

"(Gasp!) Uh huh. MMMmmmmhh, oh yeah."

Holly pulled forward and engaged Natalia in another round of tongue fencing, slipping her own hand down to massage Natalia's privates. Their kisses were shorter, because they kept having to gasp or moan or hiss or cry out as they worked their hands to several mutual orgasms, their nipples rubbing together as they shifted their bodies back and forth against each other.

***

After a decent hour of loveplay, the two women shared a brief cleansing shower and took some time to gather energy in the form of diced fruit delivered by Dobby and aged wine from the cellar above. Natalia was wearing her exercise clothes- sport bra and layered undervests with black leggings, while Holly was lounging in grey exercise pants and an undershirt that fit her better when she was chestless. Natalia was unrepentant in her near constant ogling of Holly's exposed abdomen, and released an appreciative sigh when Holly stretched her arms upward to yawn, causing the thin fabric to stretch across her hardening nipples and lift up to expose the bottom curve of her breasts. Holly noticed Talia's leering and laughed.

"You have the same equipment; why do you find mine so enticing?"  
"It's never the same. Each breast is different. I wish to know them. All the pretty titties must be tasted! Yours in particular are quite fetching." Talia reached over the table quickly to pinch Holly's left nipple. "I think I'll fetch one now!"

"Ow! You tosser! Treat them kindly, they're new around here!"

"Yeah..." Natalia grew thoughtful.  
"Natalia, you never answered my question really."

Natalia's face shifted to a big grin.  
"I just love my name! Thank you for my name! What's the question I dodged?"

"Why did you decide to help me? Not at first, I think I get why you made that awfully foolish vow, but why did you suddenly decide you needed to help me escape?"

Natalia's face dropped with her expression. Her head lifted a little to gaze at another portion of Holly's exposed flesh- where lateral scars crossed her belly.

"I saw your scars. You have... so many scars, Holly. Too much pain has been a part of your life. I understand that a bit."  
"So, you pitied me?"  
"No, not pity. I understood. For one, I understood that you had worse memories than most anyone I've met to be still so optimistic and hopeful."  
"Me? Ha! Talia, I've been worked over by nearly every facet of our world, magical or muggle. What would make you think I had hope?"  
"Because you keep trying. You want love. You get angry at the injustice. You may have used me, but you felt bad about doing it, and you didn't do it until you had no other choice."

"That's just me being muddle-brained..."  
"STOP IT! Don't make out like you're some tough nut criminal, I'm being serious here! You are a hero, Holly. You know why?"  
"Why, 'Talia?"  
"Because you keep getting back up. That's heroic. Because you plan to keep getting back up, even though you can see yourself getting knocked down again."

"I... thank you, Natalia. So... you don't... mind the scars, do you?"

"No, not at all. They're a part of you. You've earned the right to be proud of those scars. I think they are like milestones, part of the catalogue of your victories. You always survive to annoy people once more."

"Hah! Yeah, so far."

"And you look damned sexier every time you do it! I mean honestly! The next adventure you live through and you'll be sporting electric fingertip orgasm inducers or something! If that's not a reason to save your sanity by busting you out of stir, I can't think of a better!"

"OH, for this you shall be tickled!"

Holly burst from the table and started chasing Natalia around the room, both girls squealing and yelping as they ran through the rooms of the Madhouse. Eventually, Holly caught up with Natalia and pinned her to the wall of the bedroom with both hands holding Natalia's arms above her head.

"Submit! You shall obey my every command, saucy wench!"

"Umm, Okay!"

"That's... somewhat anti-climactic, Talia."

Natalia gave Holly a very saucy look.

"What would you have me do, mistress?"  
Holly released her hold on Natalia's arms.

"Touch me. Like you like to. You make me feel desired, Talia. There's no coercing, there's...yuuuup, that's the ticket."  
Natalia had begun to glide her hands over Holly's cotton-covered breasts once more, the deep breaths of their recent chasing making the soft flesh rise into her strong hands. With a flick of Talia's thumbs, Holly's nipples sharpened to painful points. Holly began to slump into the alluring grip and had to thrust her hands forward to catch herself against the wall, leaning into Natalia's grasp, moaning softly.

"Y'know Holly, you can step in if you want. I'm almost feeling neglected over here."

"Um, (Gasp) right. C'mere."

Holly reached up to bring Tonks' quickly grinning face down to her own, engaging her in one of Holly's lustful deep kisses. Natalia matched her ardour almost immediately and they fenced with their tongues in each other's mouth like Olympians. Talia didn't stop caressing Holly's breasts during their furious frenching; Holly was close to an orgasm just from being felt. She broke the kiss to whisper. "Pinch me I must be dreaming."  
As they resumed kissing, Talia twisted Holly's left nipple in compliance and Holly was forced to grip her around the neck as an orgasm ripped through her core, making her legs go partly numb. Natalia resumed her fondling and tonguing of Holly's mouth as Holly resisted the urge to bite down hard on her invading kisses, making the orgasm last longer than expected. Once Holly's legs started working, she decided that this clothes thing was just a bad idea. They needed to be rid of them immediately.

_"Obfirma Yoshi!"_

Holly dragged her lit fingertip down the front of Natalia's body starting at her collar and ending between her legs, leaving behind a single long zipper. Holly grinned as she took hold of the triangular pull and slowly released Natalia from her fabric prison. As the zipper approached her navel Talia giggled, feeling her hard nipples pop past the edge of her now open shirt. Holly kept pulling the zipper down until her hand was pressing into Tonks' hairless sex causing her to squirm and forcing the unbound fabric to be pushed further outward to release the swell of her breasts. With Tonks' breasts liberated from their covering, Holly moved both hands up to start massaging them lovingly and licking and sucking the nipples on each one enthusiastically. As Tonks was already primed by her flirting, she just stretched her arms over her head to let the younger girl work.

Both girls had resumed their deep breathing under this game. Holly pulled Natalia from the wall and took a few moments away from appying her lips to her lover's body to remove Natalia's remaining clothing once more. With Talia satisfyingly bare, Holly guided her down to the floor. Holly resumed her nuzzling and nipping of Natalia's breasts, encouraged by the older girls soft moans and gasps. Holly ground her mons into Natalia's hip bone and then over her pudenda, already bringing herself near to another orgasm when Talia decided to let her fingers do some walking. With a quick slip of her arm Natalia was able to insert her hand down Holly's exercise pants and immediately swirled over Holly's vuvla, bringing her to a screaming orgasm.

"Talia! You...AHhhhhhh! AHH! Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh! AhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

"That's.. quite a voice (unhh) ...you have there!"

Holly had barely stopped her torturing of Natalia's breasts long enough to have the orgasm before she was back at it again, this time grinding her crotch against Natalia's fingers as she worked. Holly was coming close to a third orgasm when she decided to be a bit fairer. Holly smirked and sat back, allowing Natalia to extract her arm from Holly's pants. She stood up and removed her clothing in a quick but playful striptease, then walked around Natalia to straddle her face between Holly's knees. Natalia could be heard mumbling from beneath her "Well, I suppose we could work together on this..."

When Holly laid her body across Natalia's torso, she shivered in anticipation of this most intimate mutual contact. With a quick whisper she elongated her serpentine tongue and gave Talia's sexual opening a deep kiss.

"Oi! Holly! What are you doing down ... HOOBOY! Sweet baby Maeve! That's one you'll have to teach me!"

Holly took a moment to extract her tongue from deep within Natalia's folds to encourage her partner's participation. "Yes, I rock. Please explain how you feel about this in a thousand words or more. Use the surface provided." Holly wiggled her butt a little to entice Natalia's participation.

Talia smirked from beneath Holly with her own challenge, as her own tongue began to lengthen and thicken. "Let'th thee who rockth who young wady! You owe me a scweamer!"

The subsequent laving and torturing of each others nether holes and rubbing bodies lasted for ten minutes before Holly was able to bring about Natalia's requested screamer, accompanied by an almost poetic recitation of vulgarities by the Auror. Holly's giggling was soon drowned out by her own cries of ecstasy.

Towards the end of the evening, Natalia won out over Holly in the endurance contest. At the time, Talia was sitting against the wall with her enlarged tongue inserted deep in Holly's folds as Holly's legs were wrapped around Natalia's shoulders. Holly was using a metal ironwork sconce to hold herself up as she ground her nipples into the stonework wall and her crotch into Talia's willing mouth. When she awoke from having passed out, Natalia was looking over her from upside down, as she was crouched above Holly's head on the floor, still naked and smiling.

"You shouldn't rub so hard, sweetie. Your poor nipples were bleeding. I fixed you up though. How do you feel?"

Holly stretched, feeling every muscle cry out in protest.

"Eeeehhhnnnnnn. Satisfied?"

Natalia smirked. "Are you sure? I'm game for round 65 if you are."

Holly's face scrunched into a grimace of worry. "You are insatiable!"

Talia's smile grew even wider. "That's right, sweetie! And therein lies the lesson. No matter how good you are, there's always (kiss) someone (kiss) better!" Natalia then gave Holly another smouldering deep tongue kiss, despite the awkward angle. Holly just reveled in it for a moment, then fell asleep on the floor once more.

"Hah! Amateur. We'll have to train you up a bit, much to my unending pleasure! Oof, what a weight!"

Tonks lifted the small but densely muscled girl and placed her gently on the bed, covered her with a comforter and then wandered into the bathroom to clean up. Natalia began to sing slightly off-key as she pranced into the tiled room.

"O! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...! Whoop! (Crash!) Ooh, my bum. NO! No help needed. I'm good."

***


	7. 9403b Polyamour

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work

**Spiral Tangent**: '9403b - Polyamour' Natalia agrees to have sex with Holly in the other ways they haven't yet. Holly uses the opportunity to make her Mark on her first follower and work through some lingering issues from her past traumas.

**Placement**: March 1994; Chapter 29 'The Spiral'

**What you need to know**: Holly Evans attends Hogwarts in place of Harry Potter, but she has recently discovered that Holly actually _is_ Harry, and can now turn into him much like an Animagus form. Auror cadet N. Tonks has been assigned by Professor McGonagall to help the Chosen One reconcile the double life, due to Tonks' experiences in being able to change herself into a man as a Metamorphmagus. Tonks made a very foolish and open-ended vow to help Holly sort out her life in any way she can, as Holly values Tonks for being herself. Tonks has been suffering while serving periodic guard duty at Azkaban, but Holly has hit upon a solution that will protect Tonks' mind, since she can't do it for herself. There's a whole bunch more you'd need to know to fully understand the context of events, but this at least sets the stage.

**Author's Special Note**: Okay, so I flinched. I have been trying to write this for a month and I can honestly say... I just don't want to write about sex between men. I can easily describe it but to truly write a scene I need to get in the mindset of the characters, and I just can't stay there long enough to write it. Originally this would have had seven or eight sections as described below, but once I made it to the ritual, everything else just seemed unnecessarily emotionally trying for me to produce. At some future time I may write sections 5 and 6 (which naturally flow together- deciding that I was going to bail on the gay part made the anal sex description unnecessary), but for the sake of the story all you need to know is that they kept exploring well into the night. Holly concludes that as a girl she likes both men and women, but as Harry the gay thing just seems like using a poor and unhealthy substitute for the proper hole. This works out for the best as Holly will continue to absent-mindedly cultivate her degenerate reputation while Harry can appear wholesome and uncomplicated.

**Preamble**: Holly considers the Hermione situation but pushes forward; Holly explains the Mark to Natalia prompting an argument or two

**one**: Holly+Natalia; lesbian sex and bathing, briefly interrupted by Dobby

**two**: Harry+Natalia; oral and hetero sex

**three**: Holly+Gordon; hetero sex, at first traumatic, then enjoyable

**four**: Ritual of the Marking; Holly+Natalia; lesbian sex and tattooing

**-five **(deferred by author squick): Harry+Natalia; anal sex

**-six **(deferred by author squick): Harry+Gordon; gay anal sex, mutual oral sex

**pillow talk**

**Preamble**: Holly considers the Hermione situation but pushes forward; Holly explains the Mark to Natalia prompting an argument or two

***

Newt, I'm glad I was able to get you in time to help out with this. I don't think we'd be successful without you. Excellent work, little squirt.

_I know just the reward you can give me to honour my skillful aid._

Your wish is my command.

_I want to write out what you and Natalia do._

You want to- yeah. OK. Not in the Journal but I think that's fair. We'll need to find you a scroll, though. I don't think this single page of parchment will do the trick.

_Certainly not! I expect to enjoy scribing out the details! _

_(Mum returns from the storage room with a thick scroll of blank parchment.)_

On another topic; I don't know what to do with what you've reported about Hermione. I mean, it makes sense that someone has been messing with her brain, but I feel like if I blame our falling out on it I'm taking the easy way out. She rejected me with some very persuasive arguments, enough to suggest that even if she is able to slough off the influence of magic that affected her, she may still be 90% boy-fond and anti-Holly. Just because she could fall for Harry doesn't mean it won't be a disaster when I tell her it's been me all along, and I'll have to tell her the truth eventually.

_And then you have to consider Natalia's feelings as well._

Yes, I do. God I feel like a heel. I hadn't thought of that until you mentioned it.

_Aren't you in love with Natalia?_

No, not 'in love'. I love her, I love how she touches me, and I want to take care of her, especially when she's putting herself into horrible situations for my benefit. It's more... familial?

_I'm family and we've never played with our sexual parts together._

Newt, the whole time you've been alive I've been involved with Hermione. And didn't you just ask to play 'peeping Newt' for our all-ways sex ritual? Given that's how you get happy, I'd say we are engaging in sexual activity together. Anyway, what's your point- did you want to explore my nethers for better detail or something?

_No, I just think that if you feel about Natalia in a way that's less than she's expecting, this adventure may turn sour very quickly._

That may happen anyway- I haven't explained the Spiral to her yet.

_MUUUMMM!_

She's here now; I'm about to go over it. Either we'll be off and running or I need a plan 'C'.

_**Transcription (unlabeled): 9th March, 1994 starting 10:21 AM**_

Holly is sitting at the desk in the library of Lily's madhouse finishing a written conversation with Newt. Natalia is heard stomping down the steps into the library. Holly stands up and moves around the desk to greet Natalia as she enters the library. Rather than hug Holly, the thoroughly annoyed Auror points Holly towards the chairs by the hearthfire as she dumps her cloak and Auror robes to the floor. Holly turns, somewhat chastened, and walks over to sit in the reading chair. Natalia sits in the leather-covered wood chair next to Holly and stares at the burgundy-tressed girl for a minute before she finally speaks up.

"At what point did you hire a guard beast, why didn't you tell me about it and why did it almost SNAP MY HEAD OFF AT THE NECK?"

Holly grimaces slightly with a guilty expression and tries to put on an innocent smile.

"Hiya Talia. How are your parents?"

"No, no, no! You answer questions first before I go over family hell night. What's going on, Holly?"

"Well... OK. The beast upstairs wasn't hired. His name is Buckbeak and I just rescued him last night from being executed by Walden McNair, who was the guy that tried to rape me under an Imperio last summer."

"Well, McNair doesn't work in the neighborhood! Where was the execution?"

"Hogwarts. Bucky was one of Hagrid's creatures from his classes; Draco Malfoy was stupid and got scratched but used his political leverage to have Buckbeak condemned to death."

Natalia finally stops goggling to yell at Holly.

"YOU WENT TO HOGWARTS?"

"I wanted to save a friend's life! That's where he was! What's the problem?"

"The...? What...? Aaaah! Holly, you were tried and convicted! I removed you from Azkaban but you're still in my custody! You can't wander around! What if someone saw you? Wait, did anyone see you?"

"Well, yeah, but as Harry. I talked to a friend about the runework we needed and I visited with Hermione. Thank God for it, too. I had all the calculations backwards and..."

"I don't give a flying shite about MATHS! Holly! Holly, my dear, my sweet, my saucy love muffin... YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE!"

Holly stares at Natalia in confusion.

"Why not?"

"I... must have missed saying this before. I think that the Dementors would have destroyed you, so I agreed to help you out. The way I worked it in my head was that you weren't actually escaping if I'm still keeping you from the world!"

"I'm... sorry, Tonks."

"Y'know, this isn't me joining you in a life of crime. I still want to be an Auror. I'm just keeping you in Auror custody here instead of in Azkaban, alright? This is still... prison!"

Holly gives Natalia a knowing look.

"Right. And the sex..."

"No! No! That's not about this! You asked me how I felt about you..."

"To which you decided you had to do some feeling to answer accurately."

Natalia's face gives away her shift from shock to actual anger.

"Holly, stop it! Stop making me feel bad for trying to do right by you and the law at the same time."

Holly sits back slightly, and then turns an honestly remorseful look onto Natalia.

"Alright, Natalia. I see where I messed up. Look, I felt I needed to do what I did yesterday. If something like this happens again, will it work if you're there keeping me in custody, so to speak?"

"Yeah, that might work. Don't get inventive though! Until you need to go back to prison for your release, you're staying here unless lives are at stake. I want a vow, in fact."

"I don't have my..."

Natalia scowls at Holly's excuse.

"You can cast a wandless Patronus, miracle girl. Swear with your finger."

Holly raises her right hand and points her index finger toward the ceiling. Gathering her thoughts, the tip begins to glow blue.

"By my magic, I swear to remain at Lily's Madhouse, in Azkaban prison or in the custody of Auror Tonks until I am officially released from my prison sentence by the Ministry. So mote it be."

"So mote it be."

The swirl of blue arcs outward to strike the center of both women. Holly rests back in her chair somewhat abashed.

"Dobby."

Dobby appears with a pop and grunts.

"Dobby, do you want to join us for some tea?"

"Eh? No, Mistress Holly. Dobby will make teas and be going back to snoozing. Dobby was up late making a loft for angry Beaky."

Reminded of the Hippogriff, Natalia turns a worried expression to her friend.

"Ahh, Holly? Did that vow include the grounds above? I don't want to have to feed that thing."

"Bucky's fairly self-sufficient, but yeah, it includes the grounds around the house covered by Lily's Fidelius."

Following a series of pops, the Octogonagall table walks over to squat down and rest between the chairs at a tall coffeetable height. Both women move to take a cuppa from the table where Dobby has laid out a late morning tea.

"Alright. Bloody grief, Holly! I can see where the Professor gets her grey hairs trying to keep a hold of you."

"Yeah, I'm a bit out of control. That sort of brings up the topic of today's fun."

"Hols, I'm in no mood for...wait! Is this the all-ways thing? Do we get to play with all the parts today? Please tell me 'Yes'! I need a really good 'Yes!' right now!"

"Well... yes. If you agree to it."

"YEEEE! Wait. Why wouldn't I?"

Holly's look at Natalia is almost guilty.

"What I told you before, why we had to wait a week; I'd like to use the opportunity that this will provide to enact a ritual. If it works like it should, you would be inscribed with a series of runes to protect your mind, so that you'd always have an Occlumency barrier and wouldn't much feel the effects of Dementors and the like."

"This gets even better! So would we get to have sex each night before I had a shift, so you can inscribe the runes? That would be... just tragic!"

"Not that I mind that plan, but these are permanent inscriptions. They wouldn't ever need renewing."

Natalia's face loses all show of enthusiasm.

"Holly. Back up. You weren't planning on a tattoo, were you?"

"Well, yes. A tattoo is the obvious way to embed runes permanently, unless you'd prefer scarification."

"Holly, this sounds suspiciously like the Dark Mark, and I know your mum was researching his tricks. What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking Riddle was bloody brilliant if a nutter, and I have a way to make a similar type of Mark that isn't Dark, isn't based on pain and will still protect your mind, not to mention increase your concentration, allow you some detachment in stressful situations and give you some of my more admirable personality traits."

Natalia squints suspiciously at Holly's friendly tone.

"And what am I sacrificing for these incredible benefits?"

Holly looks down into her lap.

"You would be... enthralled to me."

"Meaning WHAT?"

Holly looks back into Natalia's annoyed gaze.

"Well, magically speaking you'd be my vassal. It's because your mind would 'belong' to me that you would have a permanent barrier against intrusion, except from me."

"And... how much control would you have?"

Holly frowns in confusion.

"I'm surprised you're still going for this. I'm not really selling it the way I was planning."

"Just... exactly how much control would you have? Would I be going around all 'Yes, Mistress' with a collar and frilly clothes or..."

"No! No! You'd just be yourself..."

Holly nods slightly before continuing.

"...unless I invoke the Mark to make a command, in which case you'd feel stimulated to fulfill it."

Natalia arches an eyebrow curiously.

"Stimulated? How?"

Holly smiles.

"Well, that's the cool part. Riddle invoked his will through pain. We'll be putting your Mark at the center of sensuality so if I have to give a command, you'll get turned on the closer you get to completing it."

Natalia's hands move protectively over the join of her thighs.

"Holly! No way! You want to tattoo my cunny?"

"What? No! No, the tattoo would go at the small of your back, actually a little lower. It's known as the Svadisthana Chakra, the energetic center of desire and passion."

"Well, what if I don't like it or it doesn't work right?"

"I promise I can remove the whole thing if you want me to. There's a much shorter ceremony to release you from the Mark, but I have to burn the tattoo so it's a little painful."

Natalia starts to stare downward, obviously skeptical but still deep in thought. Holly reaches across the table to touch Natalia's upper arm tenderly.

"Talia, this really is the only way I can think of for you to continue going to Azkaban to keep Sim-Holly alive. If this won't work for you, I'll probably need to go back in soon. I'd understand if you decide you don't want to do this. This break has been a godsend and you are an angel for all you've done for me... and with me."

Holly's smile is a little indulgent. Natalia thinks for a moment, her face scrunched up in concern.

"I... I need a vow again. You have to promise that... ummm... you'll treat me as an equal and take away the Mark if it doesn't allow that. Yeah?"

Holly was already concentrating and her finger shines brightly as she speaks up.

"By my magic and by my life, I swear that I will remove my Spiral Mark from Natalia Tonks at her request. I further swear never to use magic to influence her decision-making ability to make that request. I most emphatically swear to always treat her with the respect and affection of equals. So mote it be."

Natalia's face lights up from hearing Holly's vow of trust. Her face spreads into a sweet smile.

"Holly! That's... you didn't have to... I... so mote it be!"

The swirling blue energy lifts off from Holly's finger and arcs upward to split and strike both women in their heart.

"That vow is binding even if we don't do the Mark! You are just the sweetest... but I'm still a little dodgy about this. Answer me one thing; would you do this to Hermione? If you... loved me, would you still do this to me?"

"Well, normally no, on both counts and for the same reason."

"Normally?"

"Yes, 'normally'. Talia, I'm heading into war. I wouldn't consider doing this at all, but I will be fighting a war with Riddle, with the Ministry, with the goblins and with Albus Dumbledore if we can't come to an agreement on how to relate to each other. Given my opponents and the abnormal circumstances, I'll do this to my children if I can, to protect them and me. The more relevant question might be 'would I do this to someone I didn't care about but could use? Would I do this to Rosemerta, or Rita Skeeter or even Cornelius Fudge?' No. You are an extraordinary woman, who has grown in my affection too quickly for more than one of us to be sane. We aren't in love, but I can't think of anyone I'd rather have watching over me as I sleep, or to tease me into a decent mood when I've let the weight of things overwhelm me. You are my friend, co-conspirator and now my lover. I will do this, because I want to do everything I can to keep you safe, even as I'm asking you to walk into fire. So, what does that make us?"

Natalia looks up, her face switching from a slight sadness to optimistic amusement.

"Well, I don't know about you, but your speechifying is making me horny. For a girl who doesn't love me, you have a way for sweeping me off my feet!"

"Natalia... I do love you! I decided that I loved you the moment your face appeared on the other side of the bars in Azkaban. My mini-Hedwig is powered by that love for you. I just know we aren't meant to be life partners. You're entirely too happy for me to steal you from the world, too full of joy. I just..."

Natalia leaps out of her chair to kneel in front of Holly and grabs Holly by the head, snogging her senseless for a full three minutes. Natalia breaks the kiss looking into Holly's somewhat dazed but happy expression. Natalia's grin is as wide as the sunrise.

"You're right. I could never stay with you long term. You talk too much!"

Tonks snogs Holly again, separating from her when Holly starts moaning into her mouth.

"What was that sweetie? You want to fuck me six ways to Sunday? Oh, good! I have my whole day set aside for you! But just to sum up; you love me, you want to have many ways sex, we'll collect the goo and tattoo my arse so that I'll be fearless like you and immune to Dementors and if you give me a command I get an orgasm for doing it. Yah?"

"Uhh, yeah. That about covers it."

Natalia kisses Holly deeply once more.

"MMMmmmm Holly, darkness never seemed so appealing. Speaking of which, you my mistress-to-be must be a-peeling off those clothes! I have every intention of exploring every inch of your tasty rock-solid little body before we get to the ritual part of our day, so it's bath time!"

_**Section one**__: Holly+Natalia; lesbian sex and bathing, briefly interrupted by Dobby_

Natalia stands up and starts pulling off pieces of clothing with as much speed as she can manage. Holly stops Natalia when her arms get stuck up in the air tangled in her wool pullover and two undershirts. Holly pulls the taller girl's head through the entangled collars of fabric, but leaves her arms pinned above her head mummified in wool and cotton. With Natalia smiling down at her, Holly engages her in a deep kiss. Holly continues to kiss Natalia deeply, caressing her face and allowing one hand to slide down and squeeze her breast while continuing the deep snog. When Natalia starts to gasp from her insistent massaging, Holly reaches up to help the hapless Auror remove her various tops from around her arms.

"You may also find the Mark improves your kinesthetic sense. In the meantime, how about I handle the undressing duties for today."

"Kenny-what now?"

"You won't be as clumsy."

"What makes you think I'm clumsy? This was just my nefarious plan to make you work for me for once!"

Holly finishes removing Natalia's tops and pulls off her brassiere, giving her another kiss.

"I was totally suckered. Turn around."

Natalia turns so her back is to Holly, who then reaches around Natalia's waist to unpin the clasp of her belt and release the buttons on her jeans. Holly reaches her hands down the open front of Natalia's pants causing Natalia to catch her breath and give a purr. Holly shifts her hands to pull pants and knickers, sliding them over Natalia's hips, crouching down to bring them down Natalia's thighs and legs all the way to her ankles, taking each leg out of the bunched-up clothing on the floor one at a time. From her position crouched on the floor, Holly removes one sock and then the other. With her hands no longer occupied, she looks up at the muscular body of the Auror before her. Holly moves to a kneeling position, sliding one hand up Natalia's inner thigh until her fingers glide lightly over the lips of Natalia's labia. Natalia gasps and hums. Holly stands up once more behind Natalia. With one swift movement Holly pulls off her layers of jumpers and exposes her pale breasts to the air. With another few twists, she pulls her jeans to the floor and steps forward to nakedly embrace Natalia from behind, one hand reaching around to fondle her right breast, her left hand sliding back between Natalia's legs to rub across her moistened nether lips. Her breasts press into the back of the panting Auror.

"You feel ready. Shall we bathe?"

Natalia turns around in Holly's loose grip, her eyes filled with lust.

"After all that, I wanna get dirty first!"

Natalia engages Holly in some playful kisses, gliding her hands over the warm skin on Holly's shoulders, around to her back, pulling forward to her belly and back around again to grasp her arse. Holly in turn gently drags her hands along Natalia's neck and down across her breasts, letting her fingernails dig light furrows across Talia's nipples and down in tandem trails along the muscles of her abdomen. Holly twirls her hands against the front of Natalia's hips, moving one to ride the curve of her hip around to her arse and the other to dive down to Natalia's thighs and curl up to cup the hairless sex between. Natalia gives Holly a quick approving squeeze in the arse and then moves to grip Holly's shoulders to balance herself while turning to the side. Holly begins to massage Natalia's privates from in front and from behind, the two hands meeting beneath Natalia's core to spread apart her nether lips and begin stroking and fluttering about. Natalia's breathing becomes immediately strained as she begins to ride Holly's insistent caressing, beads of sweat rolling down her neck when Holly slips two fingers deep into her vagina from behind while the other hand supports the quickly weakening Auror's stance by pressing firmly against her pelvic bone, crushing her clit and the two piercings in her labia against the tender flesh. Holly's rhythmic insertions begin to elicit a squelching sound from the excited Auror's vagina, and Natalia's hair begins to cycle through colours in reflection of her emotionally charged state.

"Mmmh... mmmhh... mmmhh... Hhhhholly... Hhhhholly... Holly... ooohhhHHolly... yahhhhHHolly! Holly! Holly! Holly! HOLLY! HOLLY! "

Holly continues her sexual exercise as Natalia wraps her arms limply around Holly's shoulders, nuzzling her head alongside Holly's and briefly nipping at her neck or her ear as she writhes away. Holly shifts her grip to allow one leg of Natalia's to stand firmly while drawing up the other to allow both her hands to more forcefully rub Talia's privates.

"OH! OH! OH! OH! MMM! MMM! MMM! MMM! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! MMM! MMM! MMM! MMM! MMMAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

As soon as Natalia finishes crying out her orgasm she shifts her weight to drop both feet to the floor, bends down and sweeps up Holly into her arms causing Holly to yelp in surprise.

"You are coming with me!"

Natalia matches grins with the face of the younger girl in her arms as Holly wraps her arms around Natalia's shoulders like a bride crossing the threshold. The girls twirl about for a moment as Natalia tries to reason out which path is quickest to take them to the bathtub.

"Uhhh. Huh."

"How about you Apparate us there?"

"Brilliant!"

The two girls make a loud pop as they disappear. Newt looks around from her vantage point on the table, and then drops to the floor, running quickly to the entry to the loo, across the tile and between the cracks behind the sink and into the bedroom with the waterjet bathtub. Newt sees that Holly is currently rising from the water covered amusingly by excess bath bubbles, while Natalia is clambering up from between the tub and the bed holding her head gently.

"(sputter) Or, y'know... not."

"I think bathing is now amongst the list of dangerous entertainments in my book."

Holly watches as Natalia finds her balance and rubs the pain in her temple away. She smiles and gestures towards the metamorph.

"Just get in here so I can kiss you silly, you madwoman!"

Natalia looks at Holly's wet and bubble-covered body and gives a wide grin. She hops into the tub and into Holly's arms, causing the water to slosh about and foam to spurt from between them. They kiss deeply as they sink down to their chins into the steaming bath.

"AAhhhhhhhhhh!"

They break their embrace and float back into reclining positions next to each other. A minute later, Holly's closed-eye expression of bliss is interrupted by Natalia making some form of underwater contact, causing Holly's eyes to pop open before once again fluttering nearly closed. She bites on her lower lip for a moment and shifts her floating body's position forward slightly.

Over the next fifteen minutes, Natalia's grin widens while Holly's breath becomes shorter and more audible. Finally beginning to moan from Natalia's ministrations, Holly turns over to slide her wet and naked body over Talia's, their breasts rubbing together as she reaches up her soaked arms to enwrap Natalia in a deep kiss. Holly keeps rising and falling in the water above Natalia's body, breaking the kiss frequently to expel a gasp or twitch her head around in appreciation of the underwater fondling. Holly stops writhing suddenly to hold herself partly aloft. Tremors of watery disturbance bubble up from beneath Holly, where Natalia is working her hands emphatically. Holly's hips squeeze and twitch rhythmically, accompanied by vocal pants of her pleasure until the interaction is ended by a loud, echoing moan from Holly that brings a grin to both girl's faces.

Holly lurches forward to give Natalia an appreciative kiss and then settles back to a sitting position. Natalia rises partly out of the water and looks around the room thoughtfully.

"I'm gonna need some wine. Dobby!"

The elf appears next to the tub with a popping sound not unlike a large soap bubble.

"Dobby is here, Miss Nata-la-la-la, WHOA NELLY!"

Dobby's large eyes spring open as he ogles unabashedly at first Natalia's and then Holly's exposed breasts.

"'Whoa Nelly?' What's wrong with you, shorty?"

"I's... uhhh. Wow. Dobby's is sorry but if Mistress and her mistress are being all nekkids, Dobby's would be appreciating you's to be wearing towels before calling Dobby!"

Dobby disappears.

"Oi! What about my wine? Holly, what the Hell?"

Holly smiles and settles back into the water up to her neck.

"Pitfalls of hiring a banished elf- he's not bound by the normal behavioral constraints. When he was marked to die, all the normal bindings came off so that he would be 'allowed' to expire. I hired him at the threshold, and now he's becoming his own creature. Nowadays he's bored a lot so he's been watching telly at Bathilda Bagshot's, picking up odd phrases. This is the first time he's responded at all sexually, though. That could get uncomfortable."

Natalia turns suddenly to face Holly, the motion sending a wave of water into her lover's mouth.

"Bathilda has telly? Do you know if she watches EastEnders?"

"Pfft! Hey! I'm naked in a tub with you and working on enacting darkish sex rituals and you're on about BBC One?"

"Oh, I'm very much in the mood, but you can't get telly in magical homes. Call me odd for remarking about a bloody miracle happening right down the road, but nobody's tits are that amazing! Yours come close..."

"Brilliant recovery there, Miss Natalia."

"Maybe I should check to see if you can dial in the show."

Natalia flips forward and glides into Holly's welcoming arms, her hands immediately grasping onto Holly's breasts, pinching her nipples lightly between thumb and forefinger.

"Oooohh... Ow! Careful with the twisting..."

"No, still no signal yet..."

"Look, I'm horrid with accents so if you're expecting... (GASP!) Uhhmmmmmmm!"

"I think we may be getting something."

Natalia shifts her grip, massaging Holly's breasts as they peak over the water from her deepening and emphatic breathing.

"UmMMmmmm. (deep breath in) (deep breath out) (deep breath in) (deep breath out) (deep breath in) (deep breath out) AHhhhhhhnnnnn."

Natalia starts moving against Holly's body in rhythm with her rising chest. She's been staring enraptured by Holly's focused enjoyment of her breast fondling, but breaks her stare to envelop Holly's right nipple with her wet mouth.

"MmmmmAAAAHHHhh! Yes! Auh, Oh GOD I'm cumming!"

Holly's legs suddenly burst above the waterline to wrap around Natalia's abdomen, but the angle doesn't allow Holly an easy way to rub her crotch against anything.

"Ohhh! Ohhh! Ohhh! GOD Talia! Please! Please!"

Natalia continues to lave Holly's breast, squeezing the ultrasensitive flesh and biting on her nipple.

"AAAAAAHHH! Ohhh! Ohhh! Ohhh! Ohhh! Ohhh! Ohhh! OOOOouuUuummmmmmmmmmm!"

Natalia releases Holly from her teeth's grip as the thoroughly soaked and panting girl begins to writhe in enjoyment of the aftershocks of her orgasm, making water splash everywhere. As Holly sinks down into the tub, her eyes pop open to gaze at Natalia's impish expression.

"I am going to fuck you so hard when it's my turn..."

Natalia's voice shifts into an old cowboy's accent.

"Let's get this party started and we can see if you can put yer money where yer mouth is, missy!"

"Psh! Yeah, that sets the mood."

_**Section two**__: Harry+Natalia; oral and hetero sex_

Natalia exits out of the tub and grabs a large towel from the nearby bed. As she turns around, she sees Holly following her and puts up a hand.

"NAH, ah, ahhh! You may be washed, but Harry has yet to be scrubbed."

"You want to do Harry first?"

"Well, is there a reason not to?"

"Not really. Maybe we should talk this through first."

"You be Harry, and we'll talk through while I scrub your boy body parts and all.

Holly stands still in the water for a minute, her eyes shut tightly as she searches her mind for the right trigger. With a twist of her neck Holly shifts into Harry, now standing four inches taller but just as naked.

"How do I look?"

Natalia lets her gaze wander over Harry's young body. He has almost no body hair but defined muscles on his thin frame.

"Well you're a cutie for sure, but I'm feeling a bit more cradle-robberish at the moment."

Harry smirks, giving Natalia an imploring look.

"I'd like to learn, Miss Tonks. Will you teach me about our bodies?"

"Yaaahh! Cut it out! Come over here with the scrubber so I can get you clean at least."

"Sure. There's not much I can do with this, as it's how I show up when I change. Maybe if we had started clothed, I could have at least worn my dress robes and cut a dashing figure for you to focus on."

"No, I'll be fine. Just don't play up the little boy thing too much, alright?"

Harry deepens his voice.

"Of course..."

"Thaaaaat's better."

Natalia proceeds to grin and scrub down Harry's body, though no visible dirt was seen when Holly first shifted form.

"So, I've placed those Japanese teacups along the floor for use in collecting Humours. We'll put yours into the blue-edged ones and mine will go in the ones with red trim. Hmmm. Of course, half the time it will be mixed... well, as long as Newt labels them as we go it should all work."

Natalia continues scrubbing Harry, turning him around while continuing the conversation.

"What all qualifies as a Humour?"

"Well, there's blood, bile, phlegm and shite for the classics, but the Ayurvedic Humours also include semen, ova, lymphic fluid, fat, saliva, flesh, bone, marrow, sweat and some glandular stuff. I've also seen references from an Algonquin shaman that tears, urine, breast milk, sex fluids and earwax qualify. Also the stuff in your eyeball."

Natalia stops her work, switching the scrubber for a simple wet cloth.

"This is going to get disgusting right quick, isn't it?"

"Well, I hope not. I don't want to use the more icky substances for this anyway, so we won't be collecting shite, piss, phlegm or anything that requires surgery. That leaves us with sex fluids, semen, saliva, blood, sweat and tears. Also, flesh will be used in the tattooing. If by some chance one of us knocks out a tooth I might consider using it, but that's not the type of influence we're looking for."

Natalia finishes wiping down the soap from Harry's body, bringing his cock to a somewhat erect state. She smirks slightly then gestures to indicate that Harry should step out of the bath. Natalia wraps Harry in a warm towel, gently patting him down to dry off his skin. Harry looks up into Natalia's eyes.

"It's still me in here, Talia."

Natalia gives a tentative smile.

"Let me be more direct. I love you, Natalia."

Harry reaches forward to kiss Natalia. Their lips meet, but the kiss is tender and tentative. Harry's eyes open wider.

"Natalia."

Natalia looks into Harry's eyes and sees the swirl of green in the irises making her feel faint. She gasps as an unspoken message is shared between the two. Natalia looks down, somewhat shameful.

"You... you make me want to be a better person, Harry."

"Well, that's unfortunate. I need you to be bad. What can I do to help set the mood?"

"Well, stop looking like a lost puppy for one! Find a different look!"

Harry squints at Natalia, confused.

"I'm not following you."

"Look, when a bloke fancies you, he looks a certain way. There's a... hungry look about it that makes a girl feel faint and swimmy."

"Not in my experience. Wouldn't you want the bloke to be kind and non-threatening?"

"Harry, what happened? Y'know what? You should be Holly for a minute, because we need to sort something."

Harry shakes his head and Holly appears, a look of concern mixed with annoyance on her face.

"What's the problem?"

"Hols, you've been through some utter crap when dealing with boys. Before you can be a boy yourself, you've got to understand what drives men to be that way. Set aside whatever gripe you have with others. I want you to WANT me. Harry should look at me and pant like a dog, got it?"

"I'll... try, Natalia."

Holly closes her eyes once more and shifts into Harry. Harry sits down at the edge of the bed, looking forward in thought, while Natalia stands looking at him and starts chewing on a fingernail somewhat grumpily. After several minutes, Harry smirks and turns towards Natalia.

"I'd like to introduce myself. My name's Harry."

Natalia slowly nods her head and reaches out her hand in greeting.

"Wotcher, Harry. I'm called Tonks."

"Well, yeah. But I've heard they call you Nymphadora..."

"Harry...!"

Harry leans back on the bed.

"From what I've heard, you're everything a Nymph could be imagined to be, and more."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Beautiful, seductive, wanton, likely to fuck me as kill me, right Nymphadora?"

"Okay, Harry. You can shut up now."

"Why?"

"I don't like you anymore, so we're not making love today."

Harry's face fell a little.

"We-we're not?"

"We're gonna fuck!"

Natalia pounces on Harry on the bed, pinning him down and snogging him deeply. Within seconds Harry returns the deep kiss. They break their emphatic snog with a duet of exhaled breath minutes later.

"You just keep that attitude running, while I start off your sexual awakening with a bang."

Natalia drops immediately to a crouch and finds Harry's hard cock lifting slightly from his abdomen in its excitement. She grasps it quickly but carefully and, giving a sly look to Harry as his head rises from the bed to watch the action, proceeds to lick it slowly from the base to the tip leaving a decent covering of her saliva behind as she does so. The whole motion is reminiscent of licking an ice cream cone and Harry moans as Natalia reaches the top to swirl the tip of her tongue across the hole. Natalia drops her head down to lick the heated flesh of Harry's pole on the other side from base to tip once more. With a wide grin, Natalia stops and catches Harry's eyes as he looks to see if his teasing is to continue.

Natalia turns and wraps her whole mouth over the head of the stiff member, then drops her lips down over the slickened meat slowly, inching downward, swallowing it all forcefully down her throat until her lips are all the way to the base. Harry lets out a whimper as Natalia twists her head and throat back and forth around his encased manhood, making Harry seethe and hiss quite quickly. After a minute of this kind torture, a gulping sound is heard from deep within Natalia's throat and Harry's stomach clenches as he barely whispers a warning.

"C-cumming!"

Harry's ecstasy forces him to rise slightly from the bed, his whole body rigid in release. Further gulping noises are heard and Natalia pulls her head back to the tip for the last few moments of Harry's exasperated expression of anxious joy. As his body falls limply to the bed in complete disarray, Natalia pulls back to release his still nearly hard cock from her mouth. Natalia reaches back to grab a handle-less teacup and spits the contents of her mouth into it.

"So. Are we done with the name, now?"

"Uhhh. Bubbububububububh. Buh, buhbububuh."

"As well spoken as most, I see!"

Harry lifts his head to look towards Natalia.

"H-how did you do that?"

"Oh, don't try this at home! I can breathe from the back or side of my neck when I need to."

Harry rests his head back onto the bed.

"Ah. Ahhhh."

Are you relaxing or something?"

"You must understand, Talia. I've only ever been Harry twice, no three times before now, aside from a few exploratory tests."

"So you've never come before, ever?"

"Of course I have. I tossed a few off the day I first changed, but I was quickly getting mush-brained and I needed to focus for a meeting with Minerva. I had to get a sample to make Sim-Holly, but that didn't take long. I also played a little last night after bringing Bucky home."

"You're Harry for twelve hours of your life so far and you've come five times?"

"Well, more like seventeen times all told, but I was Harry for the first fifteen months of life as well. That said, what you just did..."

Natalia gives a saucy smile. She returns the teacup to the floor and sits at the edge of the bed, turning to gaze at Harry's body over her shoulder.

"Oh, not to worry Harry. By all accounts you're probably behind your fellow man in average practice over a lifetime."

"Kinda my point."

"Whatever. Time to make you a man!"

Natalia flips herself over to straddle Harry's legs and then crawls up his body to engage him in a smouldering kiss. Harry runs his hands across Talia's hips and arse, up her back and around to her breasts, pinching the nipples on one while grasping the bulk of the other. Natalia breaks the kiss with a gasp.

"I forgot for a moment that Holly is in there. Merlin, you know how to handle me!"

"I'm just doing what I think you'll like, there Talia. Do you like?"

Natalia rubs her dripping damp vagina on Harry's engorged rod a few times and then plunges down to insert him deeply into her core. Both groan and gasp as she rises up to begin pulling his cock in and partly out of her channel, bending forward to change the angle of entry and stretching her torso up and back changing it once more. Harry's hands slide off her breasts and down her sides to grip Talia's hips. They continue to move together for several minutes, Natalia shifting position every few strokes and Harry grasping and pinching different sensitive points on her body as they come within reach. Natalia's gasps of pleasure begin to echo louder in the room and Harry starts moaning in time with her. With a sudden eruption of activity, Natalia uses her knees to rise up off Harry's pelvis and drops down forcefully again and again, each iteration causing her to yelp louder and louder. After twenty two strokes in this fashion, Harry gasps out once more and Natalia slows down her driving action to moan out a long low rumble of satisfaction. Natalia lays herself across Harry's sweat-slicked chest and rests her head on his shoulder, breathing deeply.

"Natalia, I..."

Natalia sits up suddenly and points a finger at Harry's nose.

"Don't say it! Every boy says it but few mean it and you're not actually Harry!"

Harry smiles warmly and relaxes on the bed. Natalia rises to detach herself from Harry's partly-deflated manhood and steps up to grab a tea cup from the floor.

"So, Tiresias! What can you tell me?"

"Umm... well, I now know why men covet sex all the time. The feeling of a bloke's orgasm is like jumping off a high cliff to land in cold water. When you're in process, it's like you're flying or weightless and when you cum it's like an explosion of sensation. After which you completely fall apart. I hope that total lack of muscular control thing goes away with experience. By contrast, a girl's orgasm is like an air raid siren. You get it going until it's ready to let rip, and then afterwards things sort of rev down, but if you get more stimulus it doesn't take as much to bring out the screaming, as it were."

"Nigh on bloody poetical. Am I collecting these things all right?"

"You are being fantastic in every way, Natalia."

Harry reaches down off the bed to grab another tea cup and gathers some perspiration from off his chest using the rim. He grabs a second cup and runs the rim along Natalia's spine, collecting some from her as well. As they set the cups back on the floor, Newt jumps over to label each one appropriately. Natalia smiles back at Harry as they sit next to each other at the edge of the bed.

_**Section three**__: Holly+Gordon; hetero sex, at first traumatic, then enjoyable_

Harry shifts back into Holly, grabbing her short grey dressing gown to put on as she stands. Natalia gives Holly a look of confusion.

"Are we done or something?"

"No, but I thought a break would suit me before you turn into Gordon. Be right back."

Holly walks through the panel next to the tub into the loo as Natalia stares after her in concern. Natalia then stands and dons her brown and pink silk kimono.

"Dobby."

After a minute, Dobby appears in front of Natalia with his hands covering his eyes.

"Yes miss?"

"I'm covered and Holly's in the loo. Can you bring us a bottle of Cabernet and two glasses plus some diced fruit? I'm thinking we may need to be a bit drunk for this next part."

"Both you's and my Mistress are very fit and quick-healing. Dobby is bringing three bottles."

"Smart plan!"

Dobby disappears, quickly reappearing to place the bottles and fruit tray on the side table next to the incense cabinet. Natalia walks over and pours out two full glasses of the wine, drinking hers completely and refilling it. With a delightful grin, she walks in front of the incense cabinet, opening it to shop through the available scents stored within. Holly returns a few minutes later.

"Wine, fruit and essential oils. Are we re-enacting Samson and Delilah or the Arabian Nights?"

"I could tell you were getting squirrelly, so I had Dobby bring us some social lubricant. Would you mind if I burned a stick of Neroli?"

"I really have no idea if I would mind or not. Give it a go."

Holly walks up next to Natalia and picks up the other glass of wine while tossing a cube of pineapple in her mouth. Natalia sets up several sticks of the incense to stand in a small carved stone jar filled with sand and places it next to the plate of fruit. Natalia gestures for her to light the incense which Holly does with a flame from her fingertip. Natalia lets the small flame at the tip of each stick burn for a moment and then blows it out, starting a slow tendril of aromatic smoke to emanate from each one. Holly takes a sip of her wine and then sniffs the curling strand, nodding in approval.

"Nifty. Sort of spicy and floral."

Natalia grabs her glass and leads Holly by the hand back to the bed. Once sitting, they exchange a deep kiss before taking another sip of the wine. After a moment staring into each other's eyes, Natalia stands up, turns to face Holly and shifts form into her Gordon Knot persona. The kimono is gone with Gordon now wearing a comfortable white shirt and khaki slacks.

"Oh right. The switching spell has left me a little overdressed. Do you want me to take this off now?"

"Sure, just keep your underthings on for now. I am a bit nervous about this, so thank you also for the wine. Could we talk for a little bit first? I want to get used to you like this."

"Sure."

_**Transcription halted.**_

Hey, Newt. Why'd you skip this part?

_It was pleasant, but boring. Nothing against you, but I really don't get much of a thrill from quiet chatting._

Fair enough.

_**Transcription resumes.**_

Holly and Gordon are sitting at the edge of the bed. Holly is wrapped in her heather grey short dressing gown and Gordon has on a white sleeveless undervest and black silk boxers. Holly has been leaning back onto her elbows with a thoughtful expression, taking the occasional sip of her wine. Gordon looks around the room for the fifth time in the last ten minutes and then suddenly stands up.

"Holly, are we going to do this or not? I mean, I don't want to pressure you but the whole idea has been exciting me for a week, now."

"You've been wanting to have sex with me as a bloke for a week? What's the attraction? It's not like you actually come in this form, do you?"

"Well, not as to make you pregnant, but I still go through the ejaculation thing. I looked it up once and somehow I instinctually redirect my Skene's glands to follow the reformed path of my urethra to release a spurt of fluid when I orgasm- and there are orgasms."

Holly's eyebrows rise mildly.

"Really? So are you getting blue balls or something?"

"No, you just turn me on so much that I want to express it. Also, I think you're going to be surprised at how much you like this."

"No guarantees, but I'll give it my best attempt, yah?"

"Right, okay. So... what's the holdup?"

"You said before that when a bloke stares all hungry at you it makes you swimmy."

"Yeah?"

"I haven't felt swimmy, aside from the wine."

"I haven't been giving you the hungry stare- you seemed skittish."

Holly leans over to leave her empty wine glass on the bedstand, returning to her relaxed recline to look up at Gordon once more.

"Try me."

"Oh. Well give me a minute."

Gordon sits down on the edge of the bed once more and stares off at a candle for a minute. He then turns back slowly to look at Holly, staring first at her feet, along her trim and muscular legs, across her wide hips, up her toned abdomen, lingering on her firm breasts, focusing on her hardening nipples just visible beneath the half-closed cotton wrap. His gaze trails up along the pale skin of her collar, along her neck to follow her strong jawline to her full lips now parting slightly as Holly's breathing accelerates. Gordon's lingering gaze focuses back to take in the whole of Holly's face, taking a moment to drown in her bottle-green eyes, and then they shift back down to gaze lustfully at Holly's breasts rising and falling more pronouncedly as her breathing becomes ragged.

"(Gasp) Ooookay, we've achieved swimmy. Now what?"

Gordon shifts to lean forward, grabbing the lapels of Holly's gown and pulling her face to his, giving Holly a strong and forceful kiss. Holly engages immediately in the kiss and begins to pant as Gordon's knuckles press into her breasts through the fabric of the grey cotton. Holly reaches up to thread her fingers into Gordon's hair with one hand as she pulls herself upward with the other gripping tightly around his shoulder. They continue to snog, tongues dashing between their mouths as both participants begin to breathe heavily. Holly breaks the kiss.

"I... I have to..."

"Nothing, Holly. There's nothing you have to do but be here in this moment with me."

"I... okay."

Holly stands up from the bed and faces Gordon with a look of resolve. She lifts up the dressing gown, opening herself up to Gordon's appreciative gaze and lets the fabric fall to the floor. Gordon takes a moment to smile like a kid in a candy store before reaching up to caress Holly's left breast. Holly's eyes close as she lets herself simply feel the rough fingers crossing her soft teat, stopping to run a thumb around her areola which causes her nipple to pucker. Her eyes pop open again when Gordon's lips enwrap that nipple in a warm wet kiss, and a pointed tongue presses into the center of her breast making her gasp.

Holly wraps her arms around Gordon's head in a loose hug, then reaches down to pull on the bottom of his undervest. Gordon breaks away from suckling to allow his shirt to be pulled over his head, but once his hands are free one reaches around Holly's waist to hold her at the small of her back while the other glides smoothly up between her legs to run gently between her labia. Holly's gasps become louder as Gordon begins to run his hand back and forth between the nether lips, dragging warm fluid released by Holly's excitement out to swirl around her clitoris. Holly's arms slide down Gordon's shoulders as he leans in to once again wrap his lips around her left nipple, and Holly's legs give out slightly.

"Right. I'm ready."

Holly catches herself from stumbling and then grips Gordon's shoulders firmly, pushing him back onto the bed. She reaches down and carefully removes his boxers from around his waist, sliding them over his rising erection and down his legs, crouching by the side of the bed to pull the underthings from around his feet. When she stands up once more, she is faced with a heavily-breathing man with a look of lust and a six-inch invitation to ride. Holly smirks.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were a bloke underneath it all and this Natalia business was just to get me to this point right here."

Holly notices Gordon's look of lust paling slightly.

"I trust you, Tonks. I just can't figure out why sometimes."

"Instinct?"

"Yeah, maybe. There's something about you that speaks to me without saying a word."

"And what am I saying?"

Holly steps forward to climb onto the bed, straddling Gordon's legs at first, and then shifting forward to walk on all fours, slowly moving up his body, dragging her moistened vulva across Gordon's phallus and her breasts across his chest. Surprised at her own courage, Holly gulps before answering.

"Sex is good. Sex with you is epic."

Holly rocks her pelvis back and forth several times, lubricating Gordon's cock with her hot fluid, getting more and more aroused as she progresses. Gordon reaches up to grasp one breast, and Holly sucks in a quick lungful of air as his hand squeezes her sensitive chest. With a grimace of fearful anticipation Holly lines herself up with Gordon's straining penis.

"Holly wait..."

Holly rotates her pelvis back, impaling herself on Gordon's cock, allowing it to fill her completely until she is sitting down fully on Gordon's hips. Holly stiffens up, locking her posture and grimacing with released emotions. She finds herself caught in the midst of a silent scream as tears start to run down both sides of her face. Gordon immediately sits up to embrace Holly as she breaks down in sobs and cries, resting her weeping face into Gordon's shoulder.

"Oh, Holly. Shhh, shhh."

The two lovers sit this way for ten minutes as Holly works through her crying jag. Gordon holds her tightly to him the whole time, constantly cooing reassurances and whispered words of support.

Holly finally stops weeping and gasping her cries. Gordon seeks out her teary eyes to look for an explanation.

"You don't have to tell me, sweetie. But it might help."

"He... he... he was going to rape me. They were all going to rape me."

"Who was, Holly?"

"Flint, and the other snakes. I can feel it, but I can't remember. I need to remember."

"No, you don't. Not right now. Right now, you need to take back your body. They took it from you, but you have to take it back. You won't have to ever do this again if you don't like it, but just this once you have to take away their power over you."

"(Snif). And give it to you?"

"It would be a tremendous gift, to me. But you don't have to give me power for me to give you pleasure. That's your power. You can enjoy your body, because it's yours."

Holly sniffs again and closes her eyes, seeming to drop into a sleep state or some sort of meditation. Her eyes pop open again a minute later.

"Can you be hard for me?"

Gordon smirks, checking to make sure Holly takes it well.

"Most days I find it difficult not to, and I have complete control compared to most men."

Holly smiles back.

"You always say the nicest things."

Holly and Gordon kiss once more, at first tenderly and then with progressing nuance and enthusiam. Holly shifts in Gordon's embrace, her quiet gasps no longer prompted by her abating sobs but by the slow languorous rise and fall of her body onto Gordon's once more erect member. Gordon leans back onto the bed to give Holly a better angle and the burgundy-haired witch starts to get into the motion. Her hips shift forward and back and her head lolls from side to front causing her hair to flop forward and tickle Gordon's abdomen. Holly changes the motion from an up-down to a more forward-back grind, allowing her breasts to drag along Gordon's chest. Gordon gasps and seethes as the motion begins to have a delirium-inducing affect on his erogenous parts. Holly reaches out her arms to slide up Gordon's body and then drags her nails back down his chest as she rises up into a riding position.

"I want you. I want this. I want you in me."

"Yeah, this is real nice!"

Holly stops her motion for a moment, a look of concern and concentration running across her face.

"Holly, did I say something wrong? I was just joking a little..."

Holly face breaks out into a wide grin.

"Everything is absolutely right!"

"Holly, what just..."

Holly's face shifts from happiness to feral delight in a way that gives Gordon a moment of pause.

"This is me taking back my power!"

Holly leans forward and grabs up Gordon's face into a deep snog. After a minute, she reaches up to push Gordon's face to one side and begins to lick down the carotid artery along his neck. When she reaches his collarbone, she gives a quick bite and then pulls back to sit up once more.

"Gordo, you've got to do something about these breasts, they're calling to you!"

Gordon grins and slides his hands up Holly's sides to cup both breasts, bringing soft caresses to one while gripping the other firmly. With a yelp, Holly begins to slide her pelvis up and bounce down onto Gordon's cock. Within a few strokes, Holly is gasping and yelping, clutching Gordon's hand over her breast while balancing her pistoning motion with the other hand behind her holding his thigh.

"Auhh! Auhh! Auhh! Auhh! AHHH! AHHH! AHHH! OOOH! OOOH! GOD GORDON FUCK ME! FUCK ME! FUCK ME! !"

Gordon continues to slam his pelvis upward into Holly's spasming snatch as her orgasm rolls through her, leading to a second orgasm, then a third when Gordon doubles the pace of his thrusts.

"GOD, YEAH! GOD, YEAH! GOD! FUCK! OOoooooounnnnnnnnhhhh! OOOH! OOOH! OOOH! OOOH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! !"

"HOLLY! HOLLY! HOLLY! AHHHHHHHHH!"

Both lovers collapse onto the bed, Holly landing face down into a pillow and rolling off of Gordon to flop numbly prone next her panting lover. They lay there breathing heavily for several minutes. Holly slowly sits up on the bed, thinks for a moment, and then reaches out to grab one of the handle-less cups. She sits with the cup in her lap for a moment with her head down. Slowly Gordon becomes aware of a quiet sobbing.

"Holly, don't cry. I mean, please tell me you're not crying because I was bad or anything."

Holly sniffs and smiles.

"No, Tonks. You were great. Perfect even. I'm just grieving for my troubles and lost innocence for a moment. I need to."

"Yeah, I think I remember doing the same after my first time."

"No, I mean we need the tears for the ritual."

"Oh. Well in that case, I'm to the loo. When I get back, we should talk."

"Okay."

Gordon stumbles from the bed and heads through the door to the loo. After a few moments, Holly collects her tears in the cup and lays a quick Stasis charm on it so they don't evaporate. She stands up and finds her wine glass, drains it and walks over to the side table to refill it. Holly drains the glass once more and chomps on a few pieces of fruit. Gordon emerges from the loo and stops to take a long look at Holly's naked body. He smiles.

"You never cease to surprise and delight me."

"How long did that take?"

"30, maybe 40 minutes."

"Most guys wouldn't hold out that long, would they?"

"Nope. Well, not without chemicals or charms involved."

Holly begins to grin slyly.

"And so, you're able to simulate the look and feel of a man, but not his ardour."

Gordon smiles with a humble bow.

"I do what I can."

"You are the perfect first time lover, Gordon. But I'll still magically be a virgin until I can get a man to release his spunk in me,

and all of a sudden I'm feeling a great urge for that."

"Well, what do you want to do?"

"Practice."

Holly pushes Gordon back onto the bed.

_What follows is a short screaming fuck for both of them. I swear, I dipped into the fruit bowl to drink up the juice and got stuck under two chunks of cantaloupe. By the time I popped back out they were screaming. A minute later as I shook off the pulp stuck to my face Holly was just helping Gordon back up from the side of the bed where he had collapsed briefly when Holly had removed her legs from around his waist. Sometimes life is just unfair._

"I've decided (pant) that I fall in love with women (pant) but I reeeeeaaalllly like having sex with men (pant). What does that make me?"

Gordon smirks while finding his balance once more.

"The ultimate fantasy girl."

"What about you, then?"

Gordon disappears, replaced by Natalia in her brown and pink kimono.

"I'm the goddess of love."

_**four**__: Ritual of the Marking; Holly+Natalia; lesbian tattoo sex_

"I've never enslaved a goddess before. Sounds like a worthy project. Take your clothes off and lay in the center of the bed. Get comfortable, because you need to not move much."

Natalia slinks out of her kimono and lays face down in the center of the bed, complaining the whole while.

"Do this! Do that! Are you sure I should trust you with power over me?"

Holly has moved from the bed, retrieving several candles from the incense cabinet.

"What are you asking me for?"

"You always give me good advice."

"In that case, yes. You already trust me to hold power over you so stop complaining. If I'm right you'll be getting the orgasm of your life in the next hour."

"See, you're always taking care of me."

Holly moves around the room, lighting candles that she moves into specific positions and then setting several of the ceramic cups on a breakfast tray that she places on the bed. Newt moves between the cups, nudging them until their labels are all turned toward Natalia. Holly returns to the incense cabinet and selects a small green bottle, coming back finally to kneel next to Natalia's prone and naked body on the bed.

"Okay. To begin with I'm going to spread this balm across your back to help ease the scribing process. It will tingle a little but then it will numb the flesh slightly, got it?"

"Yup."

"Newt, have you got the design down so you can lay in a stencil for me?"

(Squeak)

"How do you know if 'squeak' means 'yes'?"

Holly shrugs as she leans back to rest on her heels.

"I don't, but I figure if she wasn't ready she'd make more of a fuss."

Holly empties the contents of the small green bottle into her hand. Setting the bottle on the tray, she rubs her hands together, spreading and warming the oil. Holly begins to massage the oil into Natalia's lower back and tush.

"Ooooooohhhhhh I like this ritual! MMmmmmmmmmm!"

"Yeah, I just added this step 'cause I wanted to fondle your arse for a bit first."

"Whatever. Mmmmmmmmm..."

Holly continues to massage the oil into Natalia's upper legs, arse and lower back, taking a moment to rub between her legs just once.

"(Gasp) You could just keep doing that for a while..."

"No, because it will start numbing things soon and you don't want that part numbed."

"You got that right!"

Holly shifts off the bed to the side table where she dips her fingers into a wineglass, using the mild alcohol to neutralise the oily lotion. Holly then retrieves another glass, this one with pure water and also a small dish filled with white sand. Holly returns to the bed, placing the water and sand on the tray.

"Okay, Newt. Do your work."

Newt leaps from the tray to crawl across Natalia's back, prompting the Auror to start giggling.

"Cut it out, Talia! She has to scribe and you're bouncing her everywhere!"

"I can't help it! She tickles!"

Newt climbs up to the top of Natalia's rump and sits there for a few minutes as Natalia calms down again. After a few tentative tests of her tail, Newt decides that the numbing has taken effect and she starts to draw out the ink pattern for the Spiral Mark, centered at the base of Natalia's spine. Within minutes, Newt has inked a thin outline stencil the size of a serving plate across Natalia's skin. After crawling across her work a few times, Newt leaps off Natalia and returns to the tray to observe the ritual.

"_I want to give you something; a token of my love for you. Will you accept my love and my protection? Will you take my Mark upon your flesh, so that you will always know that I love you_?"

"Why are you asking me this now?"

"(Sigh) It's the start of the ritual, dummy! I need to ask for your participation! Now, let's start again and keep the side comments to a minimum as they may taint the effectiveness of the ritual if, I don't know, if the Spirits don't think we're taking this seriously, y'know?"

"Okay. All you had to do was explain it to me."

"Yah, 'cause you're a big listener."

"I'm just saying I doubt Riddle's ritual starts this way."

"I wrote my own vows, so sue me. _I want to give you something; a token of my love for you. Will you accept my love and my protection? Will you take my Mark upon your flesh, so that you will always know that I love you?_"

"_Yes, with all my heart_."

Holly smiles brightly, tearing up a little.

"_Then accept this pain as a small sacrifice to our love._"

Holly starts to scribe the design using a special ink held in her quilltip finger, following the lines of the stencil left by Newt.

"OOH! Oooookay, that smarts a little."

"Don't move, don't talk. The rest of this is Parseltongue, so you'll just hear me hissing."

"Mm-mm."

Holly dips her finger into the small jar marked 'Holly's blood' and scribes the first few runes.

"{_As we fuse my blood to your flesh, we invoke the bond of warriors.}_"

Holly dips her finger into the bowls of white sand and clean water, before drawing fluid from the next cup.

"{_As we inject my seed into your flesh, we invoke the bond of enthrallment.}_"

Holly finishes scribing the basics of the spiral design, finishing up with the start of the outward spiral's first turn, until the channel wraps around the first symbol. Holly cleanses her finger once more and dips it now into two separate cups in succession.

"{_As we infuse your blood with my tears, we invoke the bond of sacrifice_._}_"

Holly once again cleanses her fingertip, taking a moment to draw in and expel some water from the inkwell behind her fingernail. She swirls the tip along the edges of two more cups.

"{_As your spittle consumes of my sweat, we invoke the bond of diligence.}_"

Holly shifts her position to reach across Natalia's body, letting her breasts skim over the tingling flesh of Natalia's back. Once more she samples from two cups.

"{_As your sweat is given to my secretions, we invoke the bond of bodies.}_"

Holly begins to move a little faster in her preparations, taking a moment with her off hand to dip between Natalia's legs, causing the older girl to gasp appreciatively as she moistens her scrawling finger with her own drawn out insertion into her mouth.

"{_As my spittle consumes of your secretions, we invoke the bond of lust.}_"

Both girls begin breathing heavily. Natalia starts to squirm in her position slightly, causing Holly to stop suddenly while cleaning the scribing finger to pinch Natalia painfully in the armpit. With Natalia settled into position, Holly continues by gently tracing her finger across Natalia's lips until they open. Natalia reaches out the tip of her tongue to lick the tinted fingertip. Holly responds to the erotic movement by pushing her quilltip between Natalia's lips where it is briefly suckled by the turned-on Auror. Holly then kneels back to dip into the first cup.

"{_As you drink of my blood by your spittle, we invoke the bond of courage.}_"

Natalia's gasp is quite audible as the runes are scribed and another chamber is added to the outward expanding spiral. Holly cleanses her fingertip and then reaches down between her own legs to insert the sharpened point carefully into her quim. After a moments gentle rubbing, she pulls her hand back and samples from a blue-rimmed cup once more. The last chamber stenciled in place is scribed as Holly nearly spits the last invocation.

"{_As my secretions give fire to your blood, we invoke the bond of passion.}_"

Natalia cries out loudly in a mixture of pain, heartache and ecstasy.

"MMMmmAHHHHh! H-holly! I don't know if I can take anymore..."

Holly intones one last phrase in an unknown language causing a glow to build at the tip of her scribing fingernail, and then moves her left hand down to her own pussy lips while suspending her face over the bloody, sticky mess of ink and fluids on Natalia's rump.

"_Come with me._"

Holly kisses the center of the Spiral as she presses her now glowing quilltip finger into the edge of the scribed tattoo, while simultaneously dipping her middle finger of her left hand into her vagina and up against her most sensitive spot. Both girls immediately cry out in unison. An orange fire seems to flow from Holly's index finger into the Spiral, making every line glow. A sound like deep rumbling voices seems to hum throughout the room, and the fiery glow expands to surround both girls in their ecstatic screams.

"YAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Natalia starts to writhe and moan on the bed and Holly clenches up to flop over next to her. Immediately both girls move to embrace, aimlessly rubbing their luminescing bodies against each other, riding the wave of power coursing through their senses.

"Ohhhhhh Maeve! Ohhhhhhh Fuck! OHHHHHHHHHH!"

"OH God! Oh, God! OhGodOhGodOhGodOhGod! OHHHHMMMMMMMM!"

The ambient humming and the glow surrounding both girls rises suddenly and then stops, with all the candle flames burning out at the same time.

The room remains in darkness. For several minutes all that can be heard is the deep breaths of both girls as they ride out the end of their orgasms. Natalia whispers, her voice laced with teasing.

"Oooohh! I think that's gonna leave a mark!"

A smack of flesh on flesh is heard.

"OW! Watch what you're smacking my liege! That part's still tender!"

[Pause]

"Natalia?"

"Yes?"

"Were you just kidding then?"

"Yah! You can smack me all you want!"

"No, about the 'my liege' bit."

"Uhh, no my liege. I wasn't joking."

"Call me Holly when I'm a girl and Harry when I'm him. None of this 'my liege' stuff. Got it?"

"Okeedokee, booboo."

A sudden flurry of rustling can be heard from the bed.

"Heheheeheee! HAHAHHAHAHH! No tickles! NO TICKLES! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The sound of multiple ceramic cups being knocked around the room is heard amongst the din of the girls' laughter.

**Transcription ends.**

_OHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh GOD! That was... really good. Thanks Mum._

Get something to drink, Newt. You're looking a mite pale. I think it's time I let Minerva know what we've been up to.

***

**pillow talk**

_Overheard that night, as the girls settled in for sleep:_

"So how did you figure out how Dobby was changing?"

"It's like I said, he seems to be breaking the mold of the typical elf now that the bindings are off. It's how he was able to squeeze through the Ministry wards against elves to deliver stuff to Fudge's office for me- according to him, it's much easier to set wards against a known racial submission binding than to protect against an entirely different type of magic."

"He popped into the Minister's office?! Wicked! I mean; that was a terrible and awful breach of security young lady! You should be ashamed!"

"Yah, not quite. You'll have to work harder on your stern voice if you expect to make criminals cower."

"Speaking from experience?"

"Absolutely. I'm a criminal and all I wanted to do was kiss you."

"Yeah, but you know why it's worth it. Why'd you end up in Azkaban anyway? I couldn't attend the hearings but I thought it was a simple case of self-defense!"

"There's nothing simple about my life, and if I had only defended myself no one would've died. That's why Hermione hates me now. I'm actually guilty."

"You really love her, don't you?"

"Don't take it as anything against you, but yes. I love her."

"Oh, I'm not bugged by it, but... do you think... I'll start to love her, too?"

"Because of the Mark? Huh. I don't know. I have dibs in any case, and no seducing her as Gordon! I plan to stretch her virginity to the breaking point for abandoning me..."

"But didn't you Obliviate her before everything went haywire? How could she make a clear decision without knowing..."

"Ah, ah, ah! Don't bother me with facts! This is about love; acts of unreasoning pettiness and selfishness are expected, even called for."

"Must be why I'm still keeping you here until May."

"Yeah, but can I at least go outside every once in a while?"

"Only if you promise not to wear underthings when you do it."

"That shouldn't be hard; I don't have any left."

"So what you're saying is you need to go shopping!"

"No, I don't..."

"Field trip! I declare a field trip! And as your duly appointed jailer you must follow my every command while we are amongst the public."

"I sense a trap."

"Yeah well you're slow, 'cause it's already sprung! You've a small fortune to play with and two body's worth of wardrobe to build! This is going to be sooooo fun! We'll go in to Bristol day after tomorrow and then..."

"Talia! (sigh) Just call me Barbie, then. Or Ken. Can we sleep now?"

"Of course! Who do you want me to be?"

Holly turns to face Natalia and caresses her face lovingly.

"_Dormus_."

Natalia slumps immediately into a snore.

"Be Rip Van Winkle, would you? If you wake me in less than 12 hours, I'll be the evil that rises from beneath the earth."

Holly smiles and falls asleep soon after.

***


	8. 9403c Enthralled

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work.

**Spiral Tangent**: '9403c - Enthralled' Holly and Tonks discover the value of positive reinforcement and define their burgeoning relationship with as little regard for convention as possible.

**Placement**: March - May 1994; Intermixed with Chapter 30 'Sordid Details'; it makes more sense to read this first (I think). Use the dates to guide you if you want to jump between the chapters. I will try to never do this again, but sometimes 'offscreen' antics run too closely with journal entries to separate them easily. Keep in mind that I never write a Tangent just to write about sex. If I wrote out every sexual encounter Holly had, I'd still be writing about this 'prison term' when the last Harry Potter movie was released.

**What you need to know**: Holly Evans attends Hogwarts in place of Harry Potter, but she has recently discovered that Holly actually _is_ Harry, and can now turn into him much like an Animagus form. Auror cadet Nymphadora Tonks has been asked by Professor McGonagall to help our hero reconcile this double life, due to Tonks' experiences in being able to change herself into a man as a Metamorphmagus. During one of their first conversations, Holly suggested that if Tonks didn't like her first name she should change it to Natalia. Tonks has taken Holly's Spiral Mark to enable a greater level of trust between them, to protect Tonks' mind (particularly from Dementors at Azkaban where she is working part-time for the foreseeable future) and to give her the maturity and calm detachment Holly has in stressful situations that Tonks will need to be a successful Auror. As the Spiral Mark is a customized variant of the Dark Mark, they haven't uncovered all the effects of their ritual.

*******

_**Holly Evans' Journal**__: The good news is Natalia's mental barrier held up like titanium. Now the prison duty just sucks, though as she says, "It's no worse than working in the records office of the DMLE- everyone there is always bitchy and short-tempered as well."_

*******

**12th March, 1994**

Holly breaks the slow, meaningful kiss with Natalia with a smile.

"Wow! 'Honey I'm home' must be some sort of trigger phrase for you, Hols."

"Tell me how your time at Azkaban went. You seem alright, but I want to make sure you're okay with this."

"It was alright. The feelings that used to just stab through my chest were totally not there. I tried it without the Amulet but after a few minutes one of the rovers hounded onto me and I felt the effect directly, but he turned away once I had the Amulet on again. Other than that it was smooth, y'know, for being on a bitter cold goth-horror island surrounded by demons! I mean, I began to really feel them encroaching on my good humour towards the end of the day, but I was able to keep any nervy feelings at bay with my dreams."

"Dreams?"

"The ones I'm about to enact on your body. You weren't busy or anything were you?"

"Talia, to me you've been gone nearly a week. I have my whole day set aside for you and the next few as well! By the time you have to go back to work maybe we'll both be satisfied."

"What do you mean? I have to work in Records tomorrow."

"Well, now that I've learned how to adjust the Gyro, we can live at fast-forward throughout the Madhouse- it's why Lily buried the Gyro so deep; the arc of the band of effect is much flatter at this radius. Your job may be boring, but you'll only have to go every few days. The rest of the time, I'd like you to teach me how to fight like an Auror... and act like her girlfriend afterwards."

"So... fondling, food, fucking, fighting, fornicating, feasting, and uuhh, sleep?"

"Sure. I can work with that schedule."

"FFFFFFFFFantastic! Why bother wearing clothes?"

"Well, I don't usually plan to be naked when in combat, any previous experience aside. Besides, it's fun having you take them off of me!"

"Okay!"

Natalia spins Holly in her arms so that the shorter girl is now being embraced from behind. Holly turns her head back and up to join in a renewed kiss. Natalia's hands slide across Holly's belly to slip under her shirt and glide up over her otherwise unrestrained breasts. Holly breaks the kiss with a gasp as Natalia begins to press and fondle Holly's firm breasts, taking special care to pull and flick both nipples until they tense up to tight peaks. Holly's arms barely hold onto Natalia's neck due to the awkward angle of keeping them raised above and behind her head. Holly's heaving gasps are ragged and brisk. She lets one arm drop from reaching above and instead curls it behind her back to caress Natalia's waist. Blindly finding the target of her fumbling, she releases the top button of Natalia's jeans and manipulates the zipper down and out of her way. Natalia nibbles on Holly's neck as she shifts her massaging, keeping her right hand active on Holly's heaving chest and sliding her left hand down into Holly's flannel shorts to rub the moistened sex underneath.

"No f-fair. (Gasp). I can... only...."

"Shut up, Hols."

Natalia dips her head down to bite and suck on Holly's shoulder as she rubs Holly's vulva and right breast in tandem earnestness. Holly's breathing comes louder. With a last effort of concentration, Holly slips her own hand back between Natalia's belly and jeans, finding a similarly hot and dripping vulva to finger and swirl. Both girls gasp in unison as their protracted fingering brings them to dizzying levels of stimulation.

"(GASP) MMM FUCK!"

"Yeah! Yeah! MMmmm! MMmmm!"

"Ohh! Ohh! Ohh! Ohh! Ohh! Ohh! "

"MMMmm! MMMmm! MMMmm! MMMmm!"

Teasing and tickling give way to pushing and gripping until both girls call out in their ecstasy.

"OHHH! OHHH! AHHH! AHHH! OHHH! OHHH! AHHH! AHHH! AHHH! AAAAAAAAAIIIEE!"

"MMMmm! MMMmm! MMMmm! AAHH! AAHH! AAHH! AAHH! GODHOLLY FFFFFFUCK!"

Within moments of each other's passionate exhortation, both girls lose some muscular control and together they collapse in a giggling heap on the Persian rug.

"You really missed me!"

"I really did. You actually want to try the clothes-removing thing now?"

***

_**Minerva**__: "Is... is she constantly... stimulated?"  
__**Holly**__: "Well yeah, but not because of anything I ever did."_

***

**15th March, 1994**

Harry takes a moment between thrusts to give Natalia a deep kiss. She returns the snog with fervor, running her hands through his messy black locks and wrapping her legs around Harry's arse to leverage herself off the Octogonagall table.

"Yeah baby. Ooh! Ooh! Just like that!"

Natalia now shifts her weight to slide one leg down Harry's side while still presenting her pelvis at an upturned angle for his thrusts.

"Ooh! Oooh! OOM! Ohhm! Yeah! Perfect! Yeah!"

Natalia stops again, pulling her other leg to whip in front of Harry until she is facing the table and looks back over her shoulder, pressing back against Harry's erection and beginning to pant once more.

"OH! OH! YEAH! Yeah! Do it! Do it! Do me! Yeah!"

Natalia starts crawling onto the table, spreading her legs wide as she balances on the surface and pulling her legs forward to present her vagina in a wide-open position.

"OOH! MMM! YEAH! YEAH! Wait, Harry can we..."

"THAT'S IT!"

Harry grabs Natalia around the waist and lifts the startled woman off the table to place her on the rug with her face to the ground and her hips up at an agreeable height.

"_Stop changing position_!"

"Yessir!"

Harry moves in and reinserts into Natalia's sex, renewed moisture causing a squelching sound to emit as they resume their loveplay.

"That's better. Oooh, Tonks! You feel so warm! Yeah!"

Natalia's breathing becomes more pronounced and she begins to squeak as each insertion bottoms out in her channel.

"Ai! Ai! Ai! Ai! Ai! Ai! Ai!"

Harry's breathing also becomes laboured as his sliding begins to accelerate. Harry's gasps are answered with Natalia's yelps in a rhythmic cadence of sexual syncopation.

"Ainh! Ainh! Ainh! Ainh!"

"Mmm! (Gasp!) Mmm! (Gasp!)"

Harry slides his hands along Talia's flanks and up her torso to caress her breasts suspended just above the nap of the rug, the extension of her nipples downward causing them to be rubbed ruthlessly against the wool fabric.

"Ainh! Ainh! Ainh! Ainh! AINH! AINH!"

"Mmm! (Gasp!) Mmm! (Gasp!) MMM! (Gasp!)"

Harry rises up suddenly and doubles the speed of his thrusts causing Natalia's whines to become shrieks of stimulation.

"AAAIIH! AAAIIH! AAAIIH! AAAIIH! AAAIIH!"

"GOD! TONKS! YES! YES! YEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

With Harry's orgasm in process, Natalia also reaches a peak of ecstasy, but it is accompanied only by a silent scream caught in her throat. Undone, Harry slips back out and flops back onto the rug behind Natalia's quivering legs.

"OOOOoooooohh! That was great! Not so much with before when you were... Natalia?"

Harry looks up to see Natalia is still posed on all fours with her face to the carpet and pelvis upward, though her whole body seems to be shaking in a near-palsy of stimulation.

"Um... good job. You can move now, Tonks."

Tonks drops to the floor in a burning orgasm, a full scream startling Harry enough to cause his immediate retreat back a few crab-walked feet.

"MMMmmmMMMMYYAHH! AHHh! (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!)"

Natalia's look is anxious and frantic. She fumbles about on the floor, one hand poised over her crotch but seemingly afraid to touch the oversensitized flesh, the other flailing about searching for something until she finds her wand.

"_Arbor fio machina sybiana_."

Natalia aims at a wood sculpture on the nearby bookcase and quickly reshapes it into an unusual multi-pronged device, like a very small saddle with three protrusions along the seat; the first like a largish string bean, the second shaped as a radish and the foremost a small sunflower. Natalia takes the bizarre object and carefully inserts it into her vagina and arse, with the small nubs of the sunflower resting on her clit. With a last flick of her wand, the device begins to emit an oscillating buzz, causing Tonks to clench, twitch and gasp immediately and almost constantly. Her hands move to cross over her breasts, clutching at them occasionally as she slowly twitches into a foetal position, her folded legs holding the device in place.

Harry sits up and then moves to the reading chair, shifting back into Holly while taking a seat. With a startled and incredulous look, Holly just sits back in the reading chair to watch Natalia for several minutes. After watching in concern for a while, Holly stands up and grabs an afghan throw and covers Natalia's softly moaning form, and then grabs her dressing gown heading idly for the potions lab, shaking her head.

Two hours later, Tonks hobbles into the lab wrapped in the comforter, looking ashamed, even humiliated, but also appearing sickly. Holly immediately stops her work to rush to Tonks' care. As she approaches, Natalia removes the coverlet and kneels on the floor. Holly kneels in front of Natalia and reaches out to caress her cheek, but Natalia bows lower.

"'Talia, what's wrong?"

"My liege, I am sorry."

Holly's eyebrows pop up in surprise.

"I'm a what, now? I thought you were joking."

Tonks continues to sink to the floor the lower Holly bends to get closer to Tonks' small voice until they are both nearly laying their heads on the floor.

"I failed to restrain myself. I offended you. I am sorry."

"Natalia! What the Hell?"

"Please don't be angry or disgusted by me any further. Take my life, but don't make me feel so awful."

Holly notices the Spiral Mark is softly glowing red, like a recent sunburn. She reaches over to touch it carefully and focuses on her finger while saying "I'm not upset with you." The glow fades.

Tonks relaxes from her position of submission to flop onto the floor.

"I am, however, confused."

"Well, fuck. I never wanted you to see me like that. Especially you, Holly. I really want you to be proud of me, y'know? Not ashamed or embarrassed or disgusted. I get enough of that from me Mum!" (crying a little) "I am such a freak!"

"Don't ever say that! Don't you EVER use that word to describe someone I love. I won't have it!"

Holly moves across to pull Natalia from the floor and embrace her from behind, holding her close and swinging her leg around to draw the other girl closer.

"H-holly, you don't really love me; you love Hermione."

"I can't love you both?"

Tonks relaxes a moment, calming down from her anguish. A smile begins to spread across her face.

"Not in most districts."

Both women laugh briefly. Holly's arms close around Natalia's waist.

"I do love you, Tonks. Maybe more like a sister, only... uhhh..."

Tonks turns her head back to look at Holly and grins.

"Incestuously?"

"Well, I'm already an escaped criminal and part-time bisexual; sure."

"Likewise, my sexy sis. Can I confess something to you?"

"Sure."

Natalia sits up and turns to face her friend and lover.

"That... "

"Yes?"

"...WAS THE HOTTEST THING, EVER!" Talia squirms in place in her enthusiasm, kneeling on one knee while she gushes until she falls flat onto the floor again grinning madly. "Gods, I've never come so hard for so long!"

"OK, I'm confused again. Was that good or bad? Because, up until now I figured I'd lost you and you were going to ask me to remove the Mark. We can do that, you know. I'd rather keep up our arrangement until I'm supposed to be released, but..."  
"Holly! Holly, Holly, Holly! Stop! I need rest, juice and a big smooch from you, then we can talk about your issues with trust, alright?" Natalia rises up from the floor again with a hand from Holly, which Natalia then uses to bring both of them to standing.

"Yeah, sure. Dobby restocked the icebox, so I made smoothies here in the Potions lab."

"YUM!"

"Natalia, c'mere."

Talia spins in a circle as Holly pulls her back with her still-held hand to meet Holly's face in an abrupt kiss. Holly immediately deepens the kiss into a full on snog, the two women delighting in the active fencing of their tongues and soft lips, both threading their hands through the other's hair and caressing the back of their partner's neck until both begin to moan and gasp in enjoyment of the fervor of their 'big smooch'. They finally part their lips to lean back far enough for their eyes to meet.

"Holly, I've only thought I was in love once before and the bloke felt nothing for me. Are you sure you don't... really love me?"

"Natalia, I do really love you. I love loving you. The only difference between this and the love I feel for Hermione is... well..."

"She's not reciprocating?"

"Well that, sure. But what I was going to say was that I enjoy your passion and your optimism, particularly when you're enjoying me. It's just the rest of the time you drive me absolutely batty!"

"Oh. So we could never be a couple because... we don't have a meeting of the minds, is that it?"

"No, I'm just glad you get away from me often enough that I don't get so frustrated that I want to hurt you- it's come close a few times. I don't accept violence as part of a healthy relationship. I know I have a lot of anger. I know you could take any abuse I dish out, and I know you would accept it because of the Mark. It's those things that make it unsafe for us to be a normal couple."

Natalia is caught in a sudden moment of anger.

"But it's fine for me to be your fucking sister?!"

"Yes, exactly! And, not to demean your outrage, but I mean EXACTLY that. Get it?"

"Got it. Bitch. Holly, you know you drive me spare sometimes too, right?"

"Yah, I know. I also think it's the reason we can actually fight each other effectively when we duel or spar. As my sister, I don't mind putting you on your arse and I don't take it personally when you send me to the floor. If there's something you'd like me to do to make up for that, please tell me."

Natalia grabs the coverlet from the floor and wraps it around her shoulders. She stalks off into the library followed a moment later by Holly. Natalia stops to turn around thoughtfully, though a mischievous smirk gently makes itself known. Talia speaks with an air of landed gentry.

"Cook, clean, paint my toenails and... I think you should allow me to do you from behind as Gordon. Mmm-yes."

Holly counts off her fingers.

"Alright; okay; not at the same time; and sure I'd love to, but if you're thinking of spanking me to add to the experience I'd like to remind you of that anger thing. It won't make me hot- it'll make me mad."

Natalia reverts to her playful self. "But you like it when I bite your nipples..."

"Yes, I like everything to do with you and my breasts. Bite all you want. But... if your hand flies, I'll be compelled to return fire. Never again will I be struck without an answer."

"Rrrright. Plan 'B': all that I said before and you spend two hours between my legs tonight."

"Again, not all at the same time but okay."

"Okay."

Natalia sits down on the arm of the reading chair. Her expression turns grumpy.

"Natalia?"  
"Yuh."  
"You seem a bit down right now. Do you like ice cream?"  
"As long as there's no fruit in it."

"Shmuh...?"

"Oh, fudge monkeys. There's fruit, isn't there?"

"No, you just threw me off because... never mind. I'll be right back."

Holly leaves to walk upstairs to the big freezer. Natalia slumps down into the reading chair and begins to look somber and pensive, her hair becoming more mousy and brown in color and texture. After a few minutes, Holly returns carrying a round white cardboard container and a spoon.

"Here. Hold that."

With Natalia holding the ice cream, Holly reaches down and pulls Natalia up for a kiss. This one is not forceful or sensuous but tender and loving.

"I love you. All definitions and labels aside, I will be there for you because I care for you and you deserve it. There is no other factor that matters to me."

As Natalia looks back at Holly with a teary smile, her hair swells into a peach color like a sunrise. Holly's eyes light up momentarily and she smiles.

"I want a picture of you looking like that. You've never looked more beautiful to me."

"I'll buy us a camera tomorrow. With uhh... your money?"

"(Snort) Cool! Okay, this is a special mix of chocolate and cinnamon made by Florean Fortescue called Chocolate LeStrange. I'd like you to sample a bit and tell me what you think. Fair warning, it has a bit of a kick."

"Alright. I know the healing power of chocolate, but I really think I'd feel better if we talked this out a bit more. I feel like I'm being dumped yet we'll be having sex together for the foreseeable future. There will be sex, right?"  
"I predict very soon. Try the ice cream."

"See, that's where I'm stuck. I don't (mumm, slurp) think I know what sort of (ohh, that's tasty, sluupp) relationship I should really (Mmm, lemme have some more; nummm, mmm) what sort of relationship I really want for myself beyond this y'know? I mean, if not you, then who would I want to build a life with? (Mmmm, numm, mmm, slurp, lallallammm, sluppslurp) Is there any more of this?"

Natalia's hair by this point is standing up in a rainbow colored mohawk whose free tendrils are rubbing suggestively against Natalia's cheeks.

"(snicker) I'm so looking forward to having that camera. Natalia?"

"Yah?"

"For now, I suggest you live in the moment. Savor the flavor!"

Natalia freezes and her eyes open wide, looking almost like she is being electrocuted. Her eyes slowly close until they are squeezed tightly shut. At the same time her body begins curling into a ball at the center of the armchair and Natalia's breath starts stuttering out of her, rising in tone and volume into a scream.

"AhhhhhhhhhhuhuhuuhuhhuhhhhhhahaaaaaaAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!)"

While Natalia wrestles with her ice cream-induced orgasm, Holly takes off her dressing gown and after considering her twitching friend for a moment, shifts into Harry. Harry reaches down and takes the last dollop of Strange Chocolate from the edge of the nearly empty container and licks it off his fingers. Between the stimulating confection and Natalia's passionate exhortations, Harry's penis grows quickly into an enjoyable, usable stiffness.

Having caught her breath following her ecstatic scream, Natalia begins hyperventilating while her body twists and writhes on the chair in a sensory firestorm. Her hands begin rubbing across her body, her arms and legs in constant motion. She finally settles into an agreeable position for her; Natalia's writhing on the chair has ended up with her arse pointing directly towards Harry, one hand rubbing across her labia like she was kneading dough, sometimes drawing her two ring piercings in contact with her clit before resuming the forceful swirling. The other hand has a solid grip on the arm of the chair to prevent her from falling to the floor.

"AIIIEEEEEEAH! AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH! OH FOR MERLIN'S SAKE WOULD YOU JUST FUCK ME NOW? MMM! MMM! MMM! MMM! AHH! AHH! AHH!"

Harry steps closer, his cock springing to full engorgement as he watches Natalia screaming and moaning like something Holly once saw in a tape from Dudley's porno collection. Heaving a sigh like he was about to dive into shark-infested waters, Harry steps forward and grips Natalia's hips, bringing them down to meet his fully erect flesh pole. With a quick thrust forward he buries himself deep into Natalia's spasming channel. Natalia screams once more in rapturous joy and Harry starts pistoning her out of her mind. Once their rhythm is set, Harry reaches forward to change from gripping Talia's hips to grabbing her full and bouncing breasts, drawing the girl upward from laying across the chair to using it as a place to rest her weakening legs and keep a tight grip. Natalia expresses her appreciation well enough that Buckbeak may be hearing her through the Silencing charms and two stories of stonework.

"AIIIEEEEEEAH! AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH!

(Smeck, smack, smick, smack)

MMM! MMM! MMM! MMM! MMM! MMM!

(Smick, smack, smeck)

AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH!

AHH! OH MAEVE!

(Smick, smack, smeck)

AHH! AHH! THAT'S!

(Smick, smack, smeck)

AHH! THE SHIT!

(Smick, smack, smeck)

FUCK MY PUSSY!

(Smick, smack, smeck)

WITH HARD COCK!

(Smick, smack, smeck)

AHH! AND GRIP!

(Smick, smack, smeck)

MY TITS LIKE!

(Smick, smack, smeck)

AN IRON VISE YOU!

(Smick, smack, smeck)

ABSOLUTE GOD!

(Smick, smack, smeck)

AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH!

(Smick, smack, smeck)

MMM! MMM! MMM!

AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH!... "

Three _hours_ later...

Both girls are flopped and tangled with each other on the four-posted bed, Harry having reverted to Holly at the one hour mark when his sausage became raw from overuse, Holly reverting back to Harry when her tongue lost feeling. Holly took over again twenty minutes ago.

"Holly, I love you. I love Harry. I love Harry's cock. I love your tongue. Will you place everything I love into my happy place?"

"Oh don't start that again."

"But you still owe me an hour between my legs!"

"Sisters?"

(singing) "I lick you, you lick me, we're a happy family..."

"THIS! THIS IS THE INSANITY I CAN'T ABIDE! That's it. I'm... cooking. I'll make supper. You just sit there and twist purple dinosaurs in your brain. This is just further proof that the Telly is an instrument of the Ultimate Evil!"

Holly quickly stumbles painfully from the bed and wraps herself in her light grey cotton dressing gown, any movement causing her to wince. Natalia bats her eyes at Holly from the bed.

"I wuv you, too. Will you be my fwiend?"

"No! Now... uhhh... get dressed, please or we'll never eat a nutritional meal."

Natalia suddenly sits up and shifts her weight so that her knees are underneath her and starts bouncing on the mattress.

"Uhhhoohheeehaahah! Let's bounce because we're happy!"

"Oh, God save me. Savor the flavor?"

"I am baby! HA HA HEE HEE HOO HOO!"

"I'm going to need a tranquilizer gun. Since when did I become the calming influence in my world? Dobby!"

"Threesome?"  
"Eughh! Natalia...!"

A note appears a swatch of parchment in the air in front of Holly with a 'poof' and begins to float towards the ground. Holly snatches it from the air and reads it quickly.

_'Mistress Holly, _

_Calls Dobby again when it is safe. Some things Dobby cannot do for Mistress._

_Yours in non-touching friendliship, _

_Dobby.'_

"Once more I am abandoned to face a monster in a cave armed only with my wits to save me."

"Be Harry again! I have an urge to swallow some meat!"

(sigh)

"Couldn't we just grill?"

"Whatever you wanna call it, sweetie!"

***

_**Newt**__: 'Natalia loves you! I think you love her, too! What are you thinking?!'_

_**Holly**__: "Damnit, Newt, of course I love Natalia! I love her to pieces. I am quite completely over the moon in love with her. But at some point very soon ... I'll return to Hogwarts while she resumes Auror training ... I am star-crossed with everyone, Newt."_

***

**23rd April, 1994**

"Natalia, do you remember when we made love?"

"Hah! Holly, we make love whenever we get within 3 meters of each other if there isn't food about."

"Natalia, we have sex. It's like aerobic exercises. I could run a marathon now so long as you were there to rub all my favorite parts every five minutes. We've made love once. It was at the end of our all-ways experience and I connected our senses for a bit. We were invoking the Bond of Lust and our Rapport just seemed to take us deeper."

"Oh. Yeah. That was... intimate."

"You seem bugged. Are you alright?"

"Holly, sex for me is like... how I share happiness. What we shared at that moment made me feel very vulnerable."

"So you didn't like it. Alright, I won't bring it up again."

"No, Holly, it was... look, if you say you're not in love with me then I don't know why you'd want to do that again. It's really private. Why do you want to go back and bring up all the nasty parts of me to see?"

"Natalia, I want you to understand me and I want to understand you. We stumbled over something then and I think that if we were to allow ourselves to really sink into it, we could know each other better than any couple married a hundred years."

"Wow. Why would you want to do this with me, then?"

"Because I trust you, and because you're worth it."

"I... think... you're bonkers but let's try it anyway."

Holly leads Natalia to the bed and gently pulls off Natalia's kimono and then allows her own grey cotton cover to drop to the floor. They clamber onto the bed and lay down until they are facing each other with only an inch or so between the tips of their noses. They shuffle forward so that their legs intertwine and they loosely hold each other together in a hug. Holly reaches around Natalia's waist and down to extend her hand over the soft flesh of Natalia's rump until her fingertips reach close to the Spiral. Holly stares into Natalia's eyes, watching as they shift in hue until settling on a deep plum tint. Holly smiles just slightly with how mesmerizing she finds the colour. With a touch and a thought, their minds link together and Holly senses a rush of movement, finding herself floating in a massive tangle of tree roots suspended in air. At the same time, she can feel Natalia's entry into the storehouse of her memories, opening boxes and diving in. Holly takes a moment to purposefully relax her defenses and then touches on a larger branch.

Holly is Nymphadora, age six and she is being scolded by her mother for kissing the boy next door.

"But mummy you said love is always a good thing and I was sure you were right because it felt as good as I thought it would."

"Nymmy, you can't just... well, how did Denny take it?"

"He was silly. First he ran away, then he came back and kissed my cheek and then he ran away again."

Holly retreats from the memory and finds another. Holly is Nymphadora the new Hufflepuff and she is sitting in a dorm with an older girl with long brown hair.

"Delia, why do you keep laughing at me?"

"It's your name! Nymphadora? Sex-fairy and love! You might as well call yourself Cleansweep, as the boys will be riding you like a broom!"

"Yeah, well, you're just a fat cow! I wouldn't kiss you if you were the only person on Earth!"

"Yuck! Why would I want you to? Nym-pha-WHORE-A! Nym-pha-WHORE-A!"

Holly extracts herself again. She finds a tendril leading from the same memory and enters. Nym is older and having a serious snog with a barely-dressed dark-haired boy in a dimly-lit broom closet when the door is opened suddenly.

"Well. Nymphadora. Living down to your name I see."

"Delia, my name is Tonks and I..."

"Jeffrey!?"

"Uhh, hi Delia."

"You... you... "

"Y'know, if you weren't such a cast-iron frigid bitch, Jeff here might not have lost interest. Thanks sweetie! It was fun while you lasted."

With an internal laugh, Holly moves to another memory.

Hours later, both girls return to alertness at the same time with a gasp and lean back to look at the other. There is a sense of them both trying to readjust their perceptions to remind themselves of which one of them they really are. They move in tandem, rising to face each other in a kneeling position on the bed. Holly recovers first, giving a small smirk before speaking.

"Wow. I had no idea there were so many Auror procedures."

Natalia's eyes start leaking streams of tears down her face. She stares at Holly incredulously.

"Umm... Natalia, what's wrong?"

"H-holly?"

"Yah?"

Natalia reaches both hands to hold Holly's face delicately. She lurches forward and kisses Holly, her lips sealing together with Holly's again and again in what seems like an earnest attempt to catch up for something.

"Na... (kiss) Nat... (kiss) Natalia (kiss) Natalia! What is wrong?"

Natalia finally ceases her very wet act of affection and stares once more into Holly's eyes. Fresh tears flow down her cheeks.

"I am so, so, so sorry. On behalf of every stupid motherfucker out there that has left you in charge of saving their sorry arses, I apologise, alright? And one... other thing."

Holly raises her eyebrows in shock at the depth of feeling from her usually care-free lover.

"Wha... wow! Uhhh.... what's the other thing?"

"I am absolutely in love with you."

Holly's mind sets to racing, images of Natalia standing next to her and being set aflame, struck by lightning, grabbed and torn apart by shadowy men and always Holly is helpless to move much less save Natalia.

Holly's eyes begin to tear up and her lips begin to moisten and pull back into a grimace of pain and anguish. She leans forward and kisses Natalia, leaving her quivering lips pressed against the Auror's for a nervous minute, her hand mimicking Natalia's in caressing the other girl's face.

Holly's mind stops with a decision.

"Oh, Natalia. (SOB) _Obliviate_!"

Holly loses her focus for a moment, silently protesting to herself that she may never be forgiven but that it will be a milder punishment than losing Natalia like she lost Hermione. After a minute, Holly regains some measure of composure to look back into Natalia's spell-stunned face. Holly's grateful she's had enough presence of mind to keep her hand in place on Natalia's cheek since she needs to finish the spell properly.

"You will remember everything up until you apologised on behalf of others. You decided that you couldn't... (SOB) couldn't confess your love to Holly so long as you're enthralled to her. You will not remember being Obliviated. We've been crying over the apology."

Holly finally releases her right hand from the side of Natalia's face, and the Auror blinks for a minute before fresh tears start to form as she sees Holly weeping great sobs in front of her.

"Oh, Hols."

"Thank you, Natalia. You have no idea what that means to me. What you just said? That means the world to me."

**10th May, 1994**

Holly is sitting at the desk in the library with several jars, chisels, knives and a large piece of agate cut as a bookend. In the warmth of the room she's wearing only her Quidditch overshirt embroidered with 'EVANS # 8' and a pair of flannel boxers. Natalia enters the library from the potions lab area eating an apple, wearing the black and pink skintight exercise gear she usually has under her Auror robes these days. She walks over and leans down against the edge of the desk, chewing loudly.

"My day went well."

"Mmm."

"I had an interesting conversation..."

"Mmm."

"Holly, would you mind if I kept staying here while you're at school and into the summer?"

"Sure, as long as you don't bring anyone else here."

"No guests?"

"This is a protected space, Talia. All my secrets are here, along with everything I value."

"Right. I get that."

Holly looks at Natalia's thoughtful expression for a moment and then turns back to look at the runes on the agate piece.

"Still, we could have a lovely time if I find a suitably open-minded bloke or lass. I could blindfold them, and then we could enjoy them together. Like a people pie!"

"No, if you're going to date, you'll just have to go back to their place or your flat."

"Not interested in doubling your pleasure? There are some things you just can't do without a third player that are simply yummy!"

"Natalia, I understand you a bit better now, so I can see why that would be appealing, but I really just want sex to be something I do to express love."

"You must love me a lot, then!"

Holly looks up and locks eyes with Natalia. Her expression is kind but a little sad.

"Yeah."

Natalia's expression falls. Her face scrunches up in concern and frustration.

"Oh. I'm sorry I brought it up, Holly. Sorry."

Silence holds for a minute aside from Natalia continuing to chomp on her apple.

"You broke the sounding stone?"

"I got pissed at Newt and the runes got scraped. I think I may have to find new stones."

"Well that sucks but let's talk about me."

Holly looks up at Natalia with a withering look, then slumps in the chair.

"I'm sorry, Talia. Yes. Tell me about your day. You have news?"

"Nahh, I need to be bribed now."

Holly stands up from the chair with a smirk on her face and walks in front of Natalia, gently removing the apple core from her hand and tossing it behind her onto the floor. Holly takes the hand and proceeds to lick every bit of leftover apple stickiness from each finger, her split tongue wrapping around each digit and digging into every crevice. Natalia's breath hitches in her throat as Holly moves to laving the center of Natalia's palm and finally takes Natalia's thumb into her mouth, sucking it clean. She removes the thumb with a pop.

"I've done the cleaning."

Both girls fall against each other in a sudden fit of giggles.

"Okay cleaning lady! You'll be proud to know that our very own Natalia Tonks has recovered from near-washout status to being second in her cadet class of forty-seven!"  
"Yes! Congratulations! I knew you'd give em a show!"  
Holly embraces Natalia tightly around her chest, leaning her head into the crook of Talia's neck and then turning to give Natalia a wet kiss on the lips.

"Thank you, Holly."

"You did the work."

"You have me a reason."

The girls share a warm smile for each other and kiss once more before breaking their embrace. Holly returns to sitting at the desk and Natalia shimmies her butt across the surface, edging the pieces of Holly's tools out of her way so she can sit comfortably. Holly rests her hand on Natalia's thigh, stroking it gently.

"So what's next?"

"Well, I seem to have caught the eye of this semi-retired Senior Auror that everyone calls 'Mad-Eye'. You'd like him, Hols. He's got worse scars than you do!"

"That means he's either very foolish or very lucky, probably both."

"Yeah, anyway he's got me signed up for two advanced electives for Investigators and Hit-Wizard training."

"What's a Hit-Wizard?"

"Well, it goes beyond the normal patrolling and peacekeeping functions and focuses on tracking and taking down Dark wizards. If I get the cert and survive two years internship they'll give me special enforcement powers, like clearance to use Unforgivables during wartime and the like."

"Wow. You really are on your way. When do you become a full Auror?"

"Sometime in August. They don't announce it or hold public ceremonies in order to keep Auror's identities safe. It's one of the rules Bones added when she was made Director."

"I understand. You'll have to let me know when we should celebrate, though."

"We can go dancing!"

"You dance?"

"No idea, but I figure if I just adhere my body to yours we'll look good enough no one will care!"

Holly leans forward and Natalia bends down so they can share a loving kiss.

"There's a thought to warm my... mmmmmm."

They break apart with identical smiles. As they lean back into place Natalia's expression shifts.

"Hols, I really am sorry about before with the... wait. You said 'if I'm going to date'; won't you be offended if I start boinking other people?"

Holly leans back in her chair with a sigh, then looks at Natalia with a cheerfully saucy expression as she starts to twist the seat back and forth.

"Why Natalia... I wouldn't want to keep you from loving the world!"

"Ohhhh! That's so sweet! Wait. What's the real reason?"

"You really are picking up some of my traits. That's so cool."

"Yes, I'm feeling quite Holly-flavoured, particularly after last night- HEY, don't distract! Why are you cool with me being promiscuous when you're being monogamous?"

"Well, for the one thing, I'm not staying monogamous, I only intend to have sex with people I love. Hermione may yet come to her senses and I still might find a man worth the trust one of these years."

"Alright. And...?"

Holly's expression turns frisky.

"And... if I tried to keep up with you I'd be sucked dry by Christmas."

Natalia starts giggling.

"Really! I'll never get any work done if I'm trying to satisfy you. You've proven yourself TOO MUCH for any mortal to handle on their own. Seriously, when this is all over, you should consider building your own harem!"

Natalia's giggling moves up to guffaws.

"It's either that or else we'll have to classify you as a roaming health risk! Oh, caution-only, as few could complain for dying in such a manner." Holly sits up as she shifts to an announcer-voice, holding an imaginary microphone in her hand. "She was known 'round the world as the Titanic Tonks, Nightshade Natalia, bringing happy death in a rainbow swirl of hair follicles and screams of ecstasy! AAAH! EEEE! Ooh Baby! Thump!"

Natalia's giggling expands to full blown tear-inducing laughs.

"Hey! You'd appear on the telly, at least. 'Lock up your sons and daughters! Beware of approach, or don't, y'know? Details on pay per view for six quid a night! Here's a sample!" Holly switches voice to a Betty Boop-like squeak. "I was just walkin' down the street and suddenly it's like learning my alphabet all over again! Ahh! Eee! Aii! OHH! OOOOOOOOOOO!"

After several minutes of laughter, Natalia looks down at Holly's shining, smiling face.

"Holly? Sex!"

"Yeah, okay!"

Holly stands up and pulls off her Quidditch shirt exposing her pale flesh to the warm air and moving quickly into Natalia's embrace. Natalia kisses Holly deeply.

"See what I mean? I'm supposedly your Dark Lady but you make me pant with a smile and a saucy wink. Where's the justice?"

Natalia resumes kissing Holly while fondling her breasts. Holly moans into the snog while hanging from Natalia's shoulders as her knees buckle.

"Mmmmmuh!"

Natalia breaks the kiss again with a smile.

"I thought you said justice before death was only imposed by the will of mortals?"

Holly's confused expression is accompanied by her making a scratching motion with her finger on Natalia's bottom lip.

"Shmuh? Tongue no quacky, insert and lick, yah?"

"I'm smarter than Hol-ly! I'm smarter than Hol-ly!"

Holly rests her hands around Natalia's neck once more as she rolls her eyes.

"I was ensorcelled. And not for nearly long enough. Please ma'am, may I have some more?"

"I thought you said I was lethal!"

"You know anyone else with a proven deathwish?"

Natalia's grin falls once more. She leans back to look into Holly's lidded eyes, holding the shorter girl at the waist with both hands.

"Holly. You don't really want to die, do you?"

Holly smiles and leans forward, rubbing her face against Natalia's like a cat.

"Not anymore. The love of two fine women has cured me of that. I just seem to be drawn towards the Reaper's scythe anyway. Please reapply hand to breast posthaste."

As Natalia smiles and moves to comply with Holly's request, her lips are enthusiastically engaged in a kiss.

***

_**Holly Evans' Journal**__: Yin and Yang. Natalia says I'm of two minds but one set of memories. _

***

Natalia wakes to find herself wrapped around her lover from behind. Sensing movement, she gives the closest ear a lick. A muffled giggle comes in response. She smiles widely.

"Mornin', luv!"

"Mmmmm. Natalia, I love having you hold me as I sleep. If you're going to get frisky this morning, feel free to take me as Gordon, just so long as you take your slow sweet time about it, alright?"

"Umm, I don't think so."

"Why not? Do I have morning breath?"

"No, morning wood. You said you didn't dig the backside action. Besides, you're acting all little-boy again and you know I can't make love with you when you're like that. What's going on, Harry?"

Harry's eyes pop open.

"I'm Harry? I'm Harry. Just... Harry. That's... really weird."

"Can you be Holly?"

"I... I think so, and this may sound really odd, but I think she's... still asleep."

"Why do I suddenly feel like I'm sleeping with my lover's younger brother?"

"Umm... you are?"

"So, how come it's just you now?"

"Honestly? I think this is first time in my life since my parents were killed that I've ever felt... safe."

Natalia smiles and embraces Harry more tightly. After a minute she relaxes her grip, and then gives with an amused snort.

"Suddenly my incestuous sister joke makes more sense."

"How so?"

"Well, up 'til now I've been having sex with both of you whenever you're Harry. It's no wonder the idea didn't bother you."

"Heh. Good one. Natalia, I think I'd like to sit alone for a bit."

Natalia unwraps herself from holding Harry and sits up on the bed, turns and looks at Harry for a moment and then leans down to kiss him on the cheek.

"I'll have Dobby make brekkers. I love all of you in there, y'know?"

Natalia rises from the bed, wraps her well-toned naked form into her pink and brown kimono as her hair changes colour to match and then exits to the loo.

Harry smiles but an expression of mild worry crosses his face. He reaches a hand to touch his cheek where Natalia kissed him.

"We know."

***

_**Poppy**__: "If there's one thing for certain, this is the child of Lily Evans. Almost everything else about her is... subject to revision."_

***

**Omake from the beginning of the chapter**:

"Was that one of your dreams?"

"No, but I'll have to include it next time! Yowza! What was that, the 'Standing Spoon'?"

"These positions have names?"

"Well, sure! I thought you read the Kumma Supra."

"Kama Sutra, Natalia, and I did, but that covers hetero positions. There are things we do that would be ineffective or painful for a man to try."

"Love, there are things you and I do that no one else CAN try."

Both girls grin madly.

"Kinda takes away from the fun of naming them if there's no point in sharing."

"Boasting rights."

"Yeah, like 'I survived a year of constant sex with Tonks' won't give me awesome instant street cred."

"BAHAHAHAHAAAA!"

"Joy just bubbles out of you, doesn't it?"


	9. 9406 Floral Influence

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work.

**Spiral Tangent**: 'Floral Influence' - Luna provokes a last hurrah for H&H on the Express, using a Dionysus Poppy

**Placement**: June 1994; end of Chapter 33 'Railroaded'

**What you need to know**: Holly Evans attends Hogwarts in place of Harry Potter. Hermione and she bonded over the Troll incident and other adventures. Holly is known to be much like her namesake- prickly and poisonous, but with Hermione she acts more normal. They had been in a sexual relationship during the past winter, but Hermione has proclaimed that Holly used magic to bend her mind then and that she is exclusively heterosexual now. They have renewed their close friendship, though neither of them considers the topic fully resolved.

***

So here we are. Hermione and I are sitting on the Hogwarts Express. Having checked up on most of our friends over the last hour, we settle in with a book apiece and begin reading, but I'm not thinking about 'Essentials of Enchantment' as much as how I feel about the witch on the opposite bench.

Hermione Granger. I fell in love with her when she told me that she didn't want me to die, right before I faced the Riddle-possessed Professor Quirrel. I figured out I was in love with her a few hours before facing the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. She gave me her first initiated kiss when I was recovering from tackling a Dementor. She told me she loved me right after I used Crucio to restart her heart. And when I discovered that I was Harry Potter... she ran away, right into the arms of some manipulator that hit her with a charm to make her think women loving women was a repulsive heresy.

I do love her, but I'm beginning to believe that my interest in her isn't healthy for either of us.

Still, there's something about her. Her delicate face, the curve of her lips, the tender perfection of her skin, the sound of her moans...

Hang on. Did she just moan?

"Hermione, are you reading 'Hogwarts, A History' again?"

Hermione tilts up her head from the text in her lap, twisting her neck around in a squinting stretch reminiscent of her half-Kneazle familiar, Crookshanks. She then sets aside the book and slowly stands to stretch her arms towards the ceiling of the rocking train car.

"My, it is warm in here."

Hermione reaches around her waist and pulls her knit jumper over her head, leaving her standing in a white blouse, long grey skirt and white stockings. She had already kicked off her mules when we first started reading, just as I had doffed my boots. I find my eyes drawn to the exposed flesh at her neck and collar, amused slightly by the floating briar patch that her hair has become by being extracted through the neck of the sweater. My nose is filled with the scent of flowers.

"That's a nice scent, Hermione."

Hermione looks at me quizzically but with a smirk on her face.

"Funny, I was thinking you had finally decided to wear perfume in an unusual dip into ladylike behavior."

I set aside my own book and look up into Hermione's eyes, but my snarky response dies on my lips. Hermione is staring down at me with a look of lust filling her eyes. I can almost feel her gaze as it travels across my lips and down my neck, expanding to regard the shape of my bosom, my narrow waist and wide hips, finally zeroing in at the juncture between the legs of my black jeans.

"Uhh, Hermione? What's on your mind?"

Hermione's unconsciously grabbing folds of her skirt, causing the hem to draw upwards.

"I like this. Me standing over you. And you looking nervous! It's rare that I feel... strong when I'm around you."

Hermione's gaze hasn't left my body, though it shifts slowly as she's speaking. My nervousness is rising, and I can feel the pressure of a Vow I took recently, trying to warn me off of several responses to this situation. It doesn't help that the nervousness is making me breathe harder; each time I take in another lungful of air, I can feel myself salivating. And not just in my mouth.

"I always suspected your copy of that book had a hidden erotica section. Hermione, you seem to be acting a bit peculiar."

Hermione's hands have pulled up her skirt enough that she shifts the fabric to her left hand, lifting her right leg to step onto the bench right next to me, her right hand sliding down the outside of her thigh, then curling in to draw little designs up the inside of her stockings as her hand slowly moves towards her crotch.

This is pissing me off. I jump up into Hermione's face but she keeps her leg propped up on the bench.

"If this is some sort of test of my convictions, Hermione..."

"Holly, I want you to touch me."

"This isn't funny in the least."

"No, I mean it. Touch me."

Hermione's imploring tone coupled with her sinuous proximity is testing the limits of my self control, which seems unusually low at the moment. I raise my hands to grasp her under the arms and force her back, but I seize up just an inch from touching her because Hermione has thrust her chest forward.

"H-hermione, this is not w-what we agreed."

"I love your fire and passion. I am moved by your conviction, but I want you to TOUCH ME."

Lust and anger battle in my psyche, and I push Hermione across the train car in a compromise gesture.

"And I want to touch you but I have taken a Vow not to push our relationship that way and you're not playing fair if this is just a test to prove your righteousness or..."

Hermione fairly explodes with frustration in her voice. "Damnit Holly! You've been having sex with that... that... bloody Transformer for months and I couldn't even arrange for Seamus to touch my breasts! I need you!"

"Okay, I'm sorry the Weasley twins were more loyal to me than you, but I know you're going to hate me for this later if we do anything!"

Hermione pulls out her wand presenting it pointed upwards, a look of fierce determination mixed with smouldering desire in her eyes. "BY my LIFE, I vow I will not hold Holly accountable for what happens in the next hour so long as it involves me getting a screaming orgasm! So mote it be!"

Luna pipes up from the corner in a childlike sing-songy voice "So mote it be!"

The swirling magic around Hermione's wand slams into her chest, my chest and Luna's head. Wait, Luna? Damnit, she's stalking me again!

"Hey! You can't do that! Can she do that?"

Hermione drops her wand and holds her arms out in invitation and all I can see now is the sunlight beaming through the windows, illuminating the love of my life like she were an angel coming to remove all the pain of reality and embrace me in warmth and safety. Her voice seems to echo from a distance, one I no longer care to pay much attention to.

"Can who do what? Oh bother all! Would you like to do the honors or should I strip for you?"

Obviously Hermione is Not Noticing... something. Paranoia is piqued; I need to seal the room.

"Hold that thought."

I stand up nearly into Hermione's arms but hold my hand on Hermione's breastbone to keep her from embracing me. I pull out my wand, preparing to cast wards and deterrents around the cabin but Hermione steps forward and draws my face to hers, initiating a searing kiss. Her tongue stabs between my lips and I respond in kind, trying to express the full passion of my feelings for her with the fierce and forceful massaging of my lips against hers, my tongue sliding against hers in a loving caress. After a moment, I break the kiss with a gasp and a heartfelt smile, tears forming at the edges of my vision.

"Are you really sure, Hermione?"

"I've missed you. I want you. Please kiss me!"

I lean up once more to crash my lips against hers, deepening the kiss immediately and with passion. We break the kiss again after a minute, both breathing heavily. "Welcome back, lover. Let's just cover our bases, first."

I spin around the room, weaving an ornate series of spells with barely a mumble until I've come full circle to face an astonished Hermione once more. I toss the wand to the bench and then wrap my hands around her waist, pulling her blouse out from her skirt. Hermione is glancing around the room, noting the targets of my wandwork.

"How...how did you string... all those spells... together...?"

"Simple. One movement ends and flows into the next" and I kiss her collar.

"...and the next..." My hand caresses her breast through the fabric of her blouse.

"...and the next..." Turning my hand inwards, I pull apart the blouse, popping buttons across the carriage car.

"...and the next..." Gripping Hermione by the waist again I lift her up and set her kneeling on the carriage bench.

"...and the next!" As Hermione's head swoons in dizzy delight, I pull down her bra and lick all around Hermione's areola before locking my lips onto the nipple and draw it into my mouth, sucking forcefully.

Hermione gasps and cries out, "Oh GOD that's wonderful!"

While my mouth starts sending her into squirming fits of gasping joy, I move my hands around Hermione's arse and unzip the skirt, pulling it down to her knees in a deft movement. Hermione moans in complaint as I detach from my suckling to encourage her to step out of the skirt.

"Shouldn't you also be undressing?"

"And for my next trick..." I tap my foot and my layers of modest muggle-wear switch out for Lily's tie-dyed hippie dress. I step back, cross my arms around my hips and draw the shift up and over my head, leaving me naked but for my glasses and some jewelry. Hermione gasps and then looks down at herself. She quickly wrestles the misaligned bra off her body, dumping her blouse to the floor and slipping off her knickers in a quick knee-bend. Standing before me is my lover, wearing only some white thigh-high stockings and an expression of unrestrained lust that I haven't seen from her since we were playing with ice cream at her parent's house over the hols. She steps forward tentatively, raising her hands to draw my spectacles from my face and carefully placing them on the bench behind her. Hermione stands once more, facing me with a look I cannot decipher. For a moment, we stare at each other and we both intone the same mumbled, rhetorical question.

"What am I doing?"

We both inhale a deep breath and instead of stepping backward as it seemed we were about to do, we lurch towards each other, kissing desperately and lustfully. My hands begin to wander around Hermione's body, massaging here, pinching there, until her passionate gasps make kissing difficult. She gives me a brief incredulous look.

"Where did you (gasp) learn that (gasp)? And why (gasp) did you wait... OH GOD."

With a pinch of her navel coupled with a nibble just below her right nipple, Hermione convulses in an orgasm, her legs folding beneath her to fall into me. Her legs immediately wrap around my right thigh, rubbing a hot and wet trail of pleasure along my leg muscles. I grab hold and ease her down to sit on the bench, but she slips forward to continue rubbing her soaked vulva against my hip bone, gasping and yelping through successive rushes of ecstasy. I engage her lips in passionate kisses as her ardour slows somewhat, and Hermione quickly eases into a rhythm. Her eyes pop open after another orgasm and she pulls me up to standing while rising to sit primly at the edge of the bench.

I look down into Hermione's eyes and can see she's a little lost at the moment. Her gaze shifts to my breasts, noting the scars that trail across the soft flesh in horizontal stripes of paler, thinner skin. Hermione tentatively reaches her tongue outward to lick my right nipple, causing it to curl into a hard nub. My gasp induces Hermione to snap her gaze up into my eyes once more.

"It doesn't hurt, Hermione. In fact, you could send me over if you do that a few more times (GASP)"

Hermione's second lick is more certain than the first, but seeing my reaction actually makes Hermione lean back and gulp for a second. Looking like a girl who had lost a dare, she plunges her mouth around my breast, licking and pulling on it with force and focused effort. Her arms grip my back, holding me in place as the insistent nuzzling sends shocks of pleasure across my chest and through my body. I tilt back my head and seethe, my neck rolling back and around in my rising pleasure. The building sensations stop suddenly and I tip my head down in time to see Hermione shift her attack to my left breast, the sudden renewal of forceful sensation sending me over the top with a yell. "Oh, GOD. HermIONEEEEEEE!!!!"

Before I can come down from the heights of O, however, Hermione shifts her grip, moving one hand against the dripping juncture between my legs and rubbing her knuckles along my slit. My arms wrap around her head and I quiver uncontrollably, resting my cheek against the top of her skull as her soft and delicate fingers rub between my labia and swirl around my clit. My orgasm continues in heart-pounding intensity and Hermione moves her fingers back along my nether lips, slipping two upwards into my snatch. My breath comes in a staccato hyper-vent, my existing orgasm seeming to dwindle in favour of the burning fiery passion growing within my belly. Hermione's fingers curl inward, pulling against the rough flesh behind my pelvic bone, just beyond the clutching muscles of my core, and I am there.

"YAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

What seems like seconds after my ecstatic bellow, I find myself holding Hermione's core to my face, her legs around my shoulders. My extended tongue shoots into and out of her vagina causing her to scream while clutching the ceiling.

I black out again and come to reality once more with four fingers ramming into her hole from behind while she rocks back into the motion in her position on all fours, gripping the bench for stability.

Hermione's screams of ecstasy arouse my conscious mind once more, as I begin feeling my own powerful orgasm. Our legs are intertwined such that our pussies are mashed into a nether kiss, my grip on her folded thigh allowing me the leverage to rub our clits together while Hermione pulls on her breasts. I triple-time my rubbing in response to her erotic calls of my name. The last scream dies in her throat as she slips into unconsciousness. My own orgasm subsides and I disentangle myself from around my lover's legs, and then lift her gently onto the bench and fold her arms into her body. I cover her with her cloak and kiss her on the lips before standing somewhat drunkenly.

I'm feeling randy, heartbroken and hateful. Because what just happened had nothing to do with love on Hermione's part; it was sex. Pure wanton fucking, no emotional value construed or inferred. My nerves are on fire and I want more, even if only to douse my anger.

That's when I suddenly notice once again that Luna Lovegood is sitting in the corner of the far bench, though now she appears quite flushed and happy. Luna beams a smile at me as she withdraws her hands from within her robes. With a gesture the ashwood wand jumps into my hand and I quickly bind Luna in ropes with a silent _Incarcerous_.

"Luna, what the Hell are you up to? What did you do to us?"

Luna squirms slightly in her ropes on the bench, shifting position until she is able to look straight at me. She smiles again. "You are... exquisite. Even your scars are pretty. Like ribbons and bows."

I look down at my naked body for a moment before snapping my attention back to Luna. I can touch myself later, maybe sooner, maybe...

"Luna, I'll ask again, what just happened?"

"I think you had sex with Hermione while I watched. I'm not sure any more. It was so long ago."

I either missed something or Luna was absent on an astral trip between one of my blinks. My anger begins to abate. It's hard for me to be angry with someone so... reality-challenged. "Are you... alright? No wait, that's a silly question. You seem different than before. More spacey, less spastic."

"I have been receiving my full recommended daily allowance of gumdrops. Do you eat gumdrops?"

Gumdrops? Luna asked Poppy for gumdrops. I think this is a codeword. Never mind; it's a distraction.

"Luna, why do I feel turned on and why did Hermione forego her chastity again?"

Luna's smile is actually quite fetching. She acts like a girl unconcerned with the horrors of the world. Impervious to darkness.

"I love the smell of flowers. Maybe you're turned on because you want to kiss me. I would want to kiss me, if I were you."

The word 'kiss' is rolling around my head like a happy pinball. Yes, kissing Luna would be an excellent next step towards... stop that!

"Luna, I'm struggling not to hurt you."

"I like that you always call me Luna. It's like having friends would feel, I think. Holly, I am sorry for how I spoke to you last time. I'm also sorry that Hermione wasn't loving you anymore, so I tried to fix that for you. Before, I thought it would make you unhappy and seek solace with me, but instead you killed a boy. I really didn't think that would happen, even if it made me happy that you did it. Marcus Flint was very quickly becoming tiresome."

Okay, my head just split into four directions. West is feeling sympathy for Luna as a reject. South wants to embrace and cuddle Luna, maybe more if we unwrap the ropes first. East is right pissed off because I think Luna screwed with my relationship with Hermione. North has noted that one could take the 'tiresome' comment as evidence that Luna was also assaulted by the rapist before I killed him. God, I'm getting confused. And tired. I lurch forward to sit on the bench next to Luna, keeping the ashwood wand at the ready but quickly losing concern about my safety.

"God, I can barely think. Luna, did you make Hermione stop loving me? Is that why you did this?"

Luna's eyes start to water.

"You're going to hate me soon. I may never be kissed by a girl. Yes, I made Hermione distrust you, but she seems to have shaken that off. Why wouldn't she want to have sex with you, if she were no longer held back? I would if I were her. I had to fix the problem. Now perhaps her thinking will clear up. Her brain doesn't work right, you know."

Pot, meet kettle. Yet somehow, I think this is justice in Luna-logic. I'm beginning to understand her. It's bloody frightening.

"You did all this just to get a kiss?"

"Yes, please! I need to kiss you."

Context shift. Requesting clarification.

"You need to?"

"I... want to, because you're so close and naked and warm, but I need to because I have a message from Fate."

I am naked. I am warm. Luna is close. Luna wants me. I want...

"What's the message?"

"Kiss me."

Yah, that was what Fate wanted to say. 'Kiss Luna.' Because she's a poor dear with a childlike optimism and deep slate eyes and porcelain skin that is begging for my lips... I start to squirm on the bench, panting in excitement. I won't look into her eyes.

"Just tell me the message, Luna."

"No, I mean I don't know what the message is, I can only give it to you in a kiss."

Well, why didn't you say so? The word 'kiss' is now echoing throughout my brain and sending nerve tremors to my favorite locations. Everything in my body believes that kissing Luna is inevitable and desirable.

Fuck it.

As our lips connect, I feel a change, a spark of energy crackling across our lips. Every touch of Luna's tongue to my mouth is like electricity and goosebumps rush across my every nerve. Luna moans into my mouth, struggling against her bonds to rub her legs together. I refuse to hold or caress her. My world is this kiss. Lips and tongues dance in a whirl of sensation and we both begin to gasp and moan, the vibrations of our throaty imprecations sending further sparks down the channels of tactile input. Like feedback, the noise level reaches a painful crescendo, ending in breathless ecstasy for both of us. After sharing a few moments of calming breaths exhaled into each other's mouth, Luna dives forward to re-engage the kiss, sending me into a dream state.

Visions of physical and/or emotional stress flood my mind's eye, almost too fast to parse or recognise.

**One**. I cannot see but I feel much pain, particularly in my joints and nethers. I am kneeling on grass, naked, cold and frightened down to my toes. I hear myself say "I love you all." Green light explodes behind my eyelids and I feel a painful burning sensation shower down upon me like molten metal splashed across my face and body.

**Two**. I am once more kneeling on the ground, weeping while holding the bloody mess of an unrecognisable girl's body in my arms. I note the Head Girl pin tacked at the lapel of the victim's Hogwarts robes. I look up to see a more adult Luna approaching me, pointing her wand away and towards the ground. We are in Diagon Alley, surrounded by fearful witches and wizards who I do not recognise nor care for at the present time. Luna says, 'For the sake of all, you must do nothing.' Rage screams across my mind.

**Three**. I am standing over Albus Dumbledore, who is beaten and strapped into a chair, laughing maniacally. I raise a wand I don't recognise, point it at Albus Dumbledore's laughing form and release all my hate into the words _Avada Kedavra_!

**Four**. I am running fearfully through a predominantly Oriental area of a murky nighttime cityscape, though one crowded with strange technological features. Whole sides of buildings light up with telly displays and holographic concubines call out enticingly to passersby. Intensely bright light shines down on me from above and I freeze as electrical current rides across my nerves more painfully than even Quirrel's Crucio.

**Five**. I feel myself swinging forward and see that I'm about to land in the mouth of an immense dragon taking a deep inhaling breath. Raw fear causes me to freeze up.

**Six**. I see myself in a mirror naked, but I'm noting a few differences. My arm is tattooed from the shoulder down to the quilltip finger. On the opposite breast, my areola seems slightly misshapen, looking more like the result of a lipstick kiss made of purple venous tissue. I continue standing there, looking at myself somewhat grimly when slender arms reach around from behind me to cup my unmarked breast and massage the bare flesh of my mons. I see my reflection beginning to close her eyes in pleasure and my sight dims. I hear a girl's voice that I don't recognise. The girl from behind me says "Hermione was a fool." Sudden rage grips me and I swing my elbow to crack the head of whomever was behind me.

**Seven**. I turn to see myself walking past a large mirror-polished panel, but I am wearing a black cloak and an ornately carved white mask. The sudden fear comes from thinking that I had just been discovered.

I finally wake up to reality sprawled on the floor of the carriage, covered by my own cloak. No one else remains in the cabin, though Hermione's trunk is still lodged into the luggage rack above the far bench. I turn to see a strange flower under the bench next to me, and switch back to everyday clothing so that the Goggles can help me focus. I retrieve the flower and sit up, sensing the train slowing as it approaches the station in London. Gathering all my things, I resolve to hold back any decisions for a bit. What I need is time to think... and information. There's Neville, out on the platform! Maybe he can shed some light on this flower.

***


	10. 9408 Taste Testing

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work.

**Spiral Tangent**: 'Taste Testing' - Holly begins to widen the circle of her sexual experiences over the summer, sometimes by accident.

**Placement**: Spring-Summer 1994

Each section is a smaller Tangent scene that deserved its own moment but wasn't large enough for me to consider it a chapter. This set includes more kink than normal, and considerably less plot-relevance. Enjoy!

**Content warning**: This chapter includes references to all sorts of sex; hetero, lesbian, gay, sado-masochists and sex between underage partners, but at no time are any of these activities truly non-consensual (aside from Newt's participation as a voyeur for all but Echo; I doubt that most of the actors would have consented to her presence, Holly and Natalia being the obvious exceptions). As usual, I limit the detail of descriptions when boys get together just because it's not my thing.

Section One: the Tonks-Lupin formula

Section Two: Anger is Love

Section Three: Rules?

Section Four: Echo

Section Five: World Cup Indiscretions

**Section One: the Tonks-Lupin formula**

**Chapter 33**: 'Railroaded'

3rd June

"Holly, are you sure that was wise? Miss Tonks doesn't have any training as a Mind Healer."

"Hermione, I believe Tonks is one of the wisest people I've ever met. She taught me a lot about defining who you are without outside influence. We'll check back in an hour to make sure everyone's all right, Okay?"

"So what are we going to do?"

My evil smirk makes Hermione gulp.

"Don't worry Hermione; I promised I wouldn't try to seduce you anymore. I was just thinking that we should ask the twins for help making a spell."

Hermione's eyeswirl of madness is making me wish I hadn't made that promise. I can't help it. I still love her.

When we return an hour later, I can barely hear a thump from behind the DADA lab door. Hermione moves up and casts the new (Weasley-Evans-Granger) one-way transparent wall spell, and she immediately gasps as she sees Tonks' body flung across the room to land on the desk. In a flash, Remus leaps on top of the Auror and claws at her body with abandon.

"Holly! We have to get in there! Why are you just standing there?"

"Because I forgot the lawn chair and popcorn."

"What?"

Hermione turns back to see what I'm seeing; Tonks is now mostly naked with strips of cloth hanging off her now bouncy breasts and she is riding Remus's fervent pounding of her into the desk with the glee of a cowgirl. If the room wasn't silenced (something we should counter for in the next version) you probably could hear her yell 'Yee Haw!'. Remus loses his balance for a moment and Tonks flips them onto the floor without her legs losing their grip around what we can now see is his bare arse under his robes. Tonks now fully realises my cowgirl analogy, holding Remus to the floor with what I'm sure is much greater strength than the werewolf was expecting.

"She's quite... acrobatic. (Gasp) Oooh! That must have hurt."

Hermione starts to sink to the floor and settle in to watch when I cancel her spell. She frantically grasps at the wall for a few seconds before turning towards me with a plaintive look.

"What...? Why...? Are you sure we shouldn't... um... keep an eye on them?"

"We have Charms. Don't worry, this show should continue through dinner."

Hermione goggles. "R-really?"

"Yeah. You really would never have been able to satisfy him, y'know?"

"Doesn't mean it wasn't worth trying..."

God, I love her. It'll break my heart some more, but I should probably do my Yenta bit for her sometime as well. I just can't imagine what guy I could arrange for her that I wouldn't want to kill if they hit it off. No man is worthy of my Hermione. Except maybe Harry. Would I be willing to lie to myself, convince myself I was truly Harry, just to be with Hermione? Not yet. Not until I know what Harry means to Albus Dumbledore, and what he's planning to do with him... uhh, me.

We come back later for the second showing. Around 1 AM Hermione wakes up from resting her back against my chest where we are sitting on the floor.

"Holly, why are you holding me so close?"

"Because we're under the Cloak."

"Have you cast any magic on me in the last hour?"

"Only a cushioning charm"

"Holly, why... do I feel aroused?"

"I'd say from watching our two friends become lovers."

"But I was asleep just now."

"I don't know your dreams Hermione. What did you dream about?"

"Walking in sunlit fields. Holding... your hand."

"Coming together in trust, supporting each other, protecting each other from the uncaring world, because we care for each other?"

"Yes. How did you know that?"

"I said that to you when we first made love together."

"When was that?"

"Jesus, Hermione! How much of your memory did you block out?"

"Enough. Too much. I would think of you, become emotional, and then... vomit. You can understand why that would become tiresome."

"Yeah, I suppose..."

"Are they still..."

THUMP (distant sound of maniacal laughter)

"Yah, they're behind that desk. I think Moony has been holding in some needs for two decades. Best he get it out of his system."

"OH MY GOD!"

I look up from gazing at Hermione's neck to see what has caught her attention. Both our jaws drop as we see Gordon whispering into Remus' ear before turning him forward to brace his position leaning on the desk.

I turn to Hermione as she turns back to look at me with an identical expression of surprise, the same words whispering from our lips.

"Well I didn't see that coming!"

***

**Section Two: Anger is Love**

**Chapter 36**: 'Tense Negotiations'

8th July

_Molly told Holly that Ginny was lurking about on a broom when Holly was confronting Albus just past sunrise by the oak tree. Holly runs out of the Burrow, looking for Ginny. She finds the girl, still flying tight circles around the Weasley's cobbled-together Quidditch pitch._

"Ginny! Can you come down here? I need to talk to you!"

The young girl's hair flows like a red-orange banner behind her as she swoops down to land several yards away from Holly. Ginny dismounts the Nimbus and tosses it at Holly's feet.

"Y'know what? Keep the damned broom! I don't need your charity!"

"Ginny, that isn't what I wanted to talk to you about."

Holly starts to jog to catch up with the striding red-head as she rushes away from the pitch into a field of tall, unkempt grasses. Holly catches up to Ginny, grasping at the thin girl's arm as it swings wide to push some willows out of her way.

"Ginny! Stop running and tell me what's wrong, would you?"

Ginny whirls about, pulling her arm back to her side, revealing her tear-stained face. Evidently she has been crying since she started her exodus on the ground.

"What's wrong? What's WRONG? What's wrong is that Harry is 'just a paper hero'! I heard you talking to the Headmaster. After you jumped down from the tree I could hear you plainly for a minute, and that's when you said that you weren't his chesspiece, that you're going to let everyone die when Riddle comes back, and that Harry... hasn't done anything h-heroic, ever! And that you can't stand to have him around! I HATE YOU!"

Ginny punches Holly in the jaw, sending her to the grassy ground as she rolls with the hit. Ginny jumps on Holly's prone body, slapping and scratching her while growling and grunting. Holly chooses to defend until she just gets fed up and slaps Ginny back. Ginny punches her so that she's face down again, but now Ginny's breathing is labored, and she has her thighs wrapped around Holly's upper leg. Ginny starts to grind her crotch into Holly's muscular thigh as she reaches around to grip Holly's right breast quite firmly. Holly looks confused at Ginny, who has reached her other hand over Holly's thigh and starts rubbing her sex through her jeans. Holly realises that the nature of their wrestling has changed, and pulls swiftly at Ginny's cotton top, shredding the blouse to expose the girl's small but pert breasts. Holly reaches up to caress Ginny's left nipple, finding it quickly hardening like a rock. Ginny's moan causes Holly to moan as well, as she starts to let herself enjoy the younger girls insistent groping of her breast and the join of her legs. In a moment of irritation over the change in tone, Holly pinches Ginny's nipple forcefully, causing the girl on top to convulse and cry out in orgasm. Her fevered rubbing of Holly's sensitive breast and vulva quickly adds Holly's moans of release to their pastoral duet. Ginny finishes herself off for a second peak of ecstasy by squeezing her thighs around Holly's leg, painfully. Ginny releases her grip and flops backwards onto the ground.

As the girls lay back, panting from their exertions, Ginny once again begins to weep quietly. Holly blows out an exasperated breath and confronts the confusing redhead.

"Okay, what the fuck was that?!"

"All this time, I thought Harry Potter saved me from the Basilisk, Harry Potter killed Quirrel, Harry Potter chased away the Dementors! It was all YOU! Do you know how hard I've wished for him to save me, to meet me, to l-l-love me? How could you deceive me that way? You made me fall in love with him all over again, but it was only YOU! Are you amused? Do you feel happy, knowing you've destroyed my every dream? I very nearly lost my soul pining after Harry Potter, but he isn't a hero at all. It's just YOU!"

Ginny finishes her rant by kicking Holly in the knee. Holly winces in pain despite the glancing blow, reaching down to rub the soon-to-bruise location with one hand.

"Erfh. Brilliant. At least you think my efforts were worthwhile. I was losing hope that anyone ever noticed what I had accomplished."

Ginny sits up and points forcefully at Holly, causing her taut breasts to jiggle slightly from the motion.

"You owed me the truth!"

"I don't owe you anything, particularly truths. I saved your soul from a Dark book, I gave you my broom, I FORGAVE YOU for being a class-A bitch while possessed, and now you've attacked me and we had sex. Colour me confused, but from my perspective the ledger stands more in my favor."

Ginny blushes slightly despite her surprise.

"We didn't have sex!"

"I came, you came; that's sex, gingersnap."

"But Luna said it was just girls playing and that everyone knew it didn't mean the same thing. I was just... so... mad, but I wanted you to know it wasn't malice, y'know? I'd never do this with those bitchy chasers. I actually hate them, except for Katie."

"I don't think she's into girls."

"I'M not into girls! You're saying we had sex? But... we didn't kiss or insert anything! No sex happened! Luna said it's very common in the other dorms!"

"Oh, if only. Although I've never really checked the other Houses. Do you find me attractive?"

Ginny stares at Holly for a moment before answering, her response thoughtful.

"Mostly I find you scary, but I also admire your strength and I wish I had your cleavage."

"So you don't love me."

"Ew, gross! Why are you making this all weird?"

Holly's face contorts in disbelief.

"Why am I...? That's it; I want to talk with Luna."

Ginny responds with obvious sarcasm.

"Sorry, she's on safari for the summer until the World Cup. Find some other girl to fondle."

"I don't want to fondle her; I want to wring her neck! Anyway, you sound annoyed but you look like you want a hug. I guess for the Weasley women, anger is love."

"Well, it beats food being love like for Ron. I'd rather not swell to my mother's width unless I am actually pregnant at the time, and come back to normal as soon as bloody possible!"

Ginny sits back onto her heels as she begins to recover from her embarrassment. Holly decides to tease the redhead a little.

"No chance of a rematch then? I feel I wasn't performing at my best since the purpose wasn't clear to me."

"NO! I mean, no thank you. I'm a bit out of sorts over the whole thing."

"(Sigh). Likewise."

"Actually all this is making me hungry. You want to share a sandwich maybe?"

"...and you're sure Luna is unavailable?"

Holly looks at Ginny with one eye, holding her hands before her as if measuring Ginny for the middle of a Holly-Ginny-Luna sandwich.

"(Snort!) You are trouble!"

"I think the word is frisky. I'm an ex-con, it's part of the mystique."

Holly draws her ashwood wand from a hidden holster and incants '_Reparo'_. Ginny's torn shirt weaves back together, affording the young redhead some modesty.

"Oh, thank you. Y'know, I actually wouldn't mind that hug right about now."

Holly resheathes her wand, sits up and knee-walks over to wrap Ginny in a hug, rubbing the slight but taller girl's back reassuringly. Ginny relaxes into the embrace, leaning her head onto Holly's shoulder.

"No problem, Ginny. I'm actually beginning to like you."

"Because I hit hard?"

"Yes. That must be it. You have no idea how hot I get thinking about Hagrid punching a Centaur."

"Hagrid punched a Centaur? And I thought you only liked girls."

"Nothing is as simple as it seems. Especially me."

"Still, Hagrid?"

Holly pulls back from their hug with a pained expression.

"I was joking!"

Ginny giggles "I know! It just feels better when you hug me if you're shouting."

Holly pulls the laughing redhead into her arms again.

"All of you! Therapy! We'll need a Foundation to fund it!"

Ginny sighs and leans down to rest her head against Holly's chest, tightening the hug once more.

"That's soooo much better."

"You sure you don't want to try kissing? It's really fun."

Ginny ends the hug and sits back with a look of distaste.

"You are so odd."

***

**Section Three: Rules?**

**Chapter 37**: Family Gatherings

26th July (prior to Holly's surprise birthday party)

Holly and Natalia appear suddenly in Natalia's flat by Apparation. Holly reels in Natalia's arms for a moment before getting her bearings.

"Well this is unexpected. Is this your flat?"

"Yup. Home, sweet wage-drain."

"What's the occasion, not that I mind?"

"Well, slightly less than three weeks ago, this became legal for me to do."

"Wha...?"

Natalia moves in and snogs Holly with a wet, moaning kiss. Her hands begin to wander.

"This... and everything else that we've done before, is now perfectly legit. I know it means little to you, but I think the law is important!"

Natalia resumes kissing Holly, who responds eagerly. Holly runs her hands through Natalia's hair as Natalia begins to thread her arms around Holly's waist, pulling her undershirt from her denim cutoffs. Moving her hands around to Holly's front, Natalia's fingers trace the sides of Holly's ribcage and enwrap her breasts beneath the sweat-dampened cotton cloth. Natalia breaks their kiss as Holly gasps in pleasure.

"Don't you ever wear bras?"

"You're complaining?"

"Hah! No! I have only three rules for you, Miss Evans."

"Rules?"

"One: don't question anything until after dinner."

"I wasn't planning to, so long as we keep skin contact for the most part."

"Agreed! Two: I can be whomever you want, but I only want you to be Holly today, okaaaay?"

Natalia accompanies her request with a firm squeeze and caress of both Holly's breasts.

"(Gasp!) Whatever you say! (Moan!)"

"Last rule: don't hold back on my account, Hols!"

Holly responds to Natalia's smile with a feral gaze that gives even the nymphomaniacal Metamorph a moment's pause. Holly wraps her arms around her own shoulders, pulling off her shirt and leaving Natalia's hands as the only thing covering her naked torso.

"My rule? Don't stop until I scream."

Natalia kisses Holly deeply then, pressing her body against her lover and then turning her round to grip one breast firmly while using the other hand to unlatch Holly's belt, without disengaging from their emphatic snogging over Holly's right shoulder. Natalia unbuttons the denim shorts as well, quickly shifting her non-breast-occupied hand across Holly's waist and hips, pushing down the jeans passed her hips and over her arse until they naturally fall to the floor around Holly's booted ankles. Natalia's hand moves up to tickle the burgundy hairs between Holly's legs until Holly voluntarily steps one leg out from the clothing pile on the floor, opening herself to Natalia's manipulation. During the movement, Natalia wraps her arm around Holly's before returning to the tickling, forcing Holly's right arm to stay pinned out of her way. Holly breaks their kiss with a gasp.

(Gasp!)

"I know what you mean, Hols. I can't stop touching your body. Every sweet spot on you is twice as sensitive as anyone I've known. I could probably give you that screamer just by playing with your nips for an hour."

"Ch-challenge... for another... (Gasp!)... day."

Natalia's not-quite fondling of Holly's sex entices her to subtly bend her knees, hoping to make Natalia's fingers finally make contact with her pulsing clit, a now reddish-pink protrusion that has pushed beyond its protective hood in search of Natalia's tantalizing touch. Not to be out-foxed Natalia also bends slightly, always keeping her fingers playing with the hairs surrounding Holly's apex, except when she decides to graze the outer edge of Holly's vulval lips. Holly's gasps have become a replacement for her normal breathing and the two lovers settle to kneeling on the floor, Natalia behind and supporting Holly's body leaning back against her own. Natalia moves her other hand down from Holly's breast to wrap around Holly's other arm and then lightly dance down between her legs. Still Natalia refuses to fully engage her fingers into Holly's sex, instead taking a tandem action of pulling the skin around her nether lips back while still tickling the hairs with both index fingers. Holly mewls in protest, her arms pinned behind her by Natalia's so that all they can do is grip the carpet, the heels of her boots or Natalia's knees as she seethes and moans in protest.

"MMMmmm! (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) P-p-pleeeeeaase! (Gasp!) (Gasp!) Please, Natalia! (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) Oh God, please..."

"Hols..."

"(Gasp!) Huh?"

"Love you."

Natalia lets one finger flick up Holly's sopping sex and swirl around her clitoris, sending Holly into convulsions that she can't quite complete with Natalia's arms pinning her in place. Natalia's grip remains strong and she keeps swirling the lubricated digits around Holly's pleasure center while the girl twists and twitches in muscular grief. It's unclear whether Holly's struggles are to escape the potent diddling or to push harder into it- even Holly probably can't say which she wants more. Natalia pulls back one arm from grappling her lover's arm to reach quickly back to her breast and cup it strongly, bringing her nipples to a rosy bloom before pinching the nipple. Holly's gasping staccato speeds up by the action and she raises her body into Natalia's grip. With a last squeeze of the breast Natalia lets go, causing Holly to inadvertently flip forward, barely catching herself on her knees and with her one free arm. Holly has only a moment to gasp at the sudden change in orientation as Natalia's hands meet up in Holly's sex once more, the right arm still swirling her clit maniacally and her left suddenly caressing Holly's backside, following the curve of her spine until her middle fingers slip passed Holly's puckered anus and delve deep into Holly's vagina.

Holly squeezes her eyes shut in ecstasy, nearly collapsing onto the carpet in a state of hyperventilating glory. Her vaginal muscles clamp furiously around Natalia's inserted fingers, her orgasms no longer distinguishable as having a beginning and ending. Then Natalia turns her hand around, the fingertips curling in to rub against the rough flesh near Holly's entrance. With the additional stimulation of Natalia pistoning her hand into Holly's quim, her goal is achieved: Holly screams out in turbulent passion.

AAAAAIIiiiEEEEEAHH! AHH! AHH! AHHNNNNNNGHHHEEEEEEEEE!

Over the next few minutes the movement of both women slows to a gentle undulation, until Holly finally flops over sideways onto the carpet. Natalia sits back for a moment and then stands up, carefully and quietly removing her clothing.

When Holly recovers some of her senses, she sees Natalia sitting naked in a lounge chair with her hands in her lap smiling but bouncing the foot of her crossed leg in mild impatience. Holly smiles in return, crawls back to kneeling and knee-walks over to Natalia's chair. Holly reaches both hands up to Natalia's face and draws her into a deep kiss. Holly's irrepressible full smile returns as she draws back from the snog.

"Natalia, you are amazing. Thank you."

"Yah, I am! So, why don't you wear bras?"

Holly looks at Natalia in amused confusion for a moment before settling back to think for a moment.

"I'll ask you the counter-question- why DO you wear bras?"

"Well, to give me luvlies the support..."

Natalia cradles her breasts in her hands to demonstrate. They are perfect, with perfectly round areolae in the perfect place and becoming once more perfectly puckered as the nipples harden from the attention. Holly gazes at them fondly for a moment before responding.

"Except that you have complete control over your skin and musculature. You especially wouldn't need to wear them, whereas I can just keep mine in control with the Support Charm."

"Yeah, but most girls can't do that away from school until they're of age... so they just get used to wearing the boulder-holsters."

"But I can, because I can cast almost any Charm by touch wandlessly."

To prove the point, Holly taps each of her boots, causing the footwear and socks beneath to disappear, reappearing beneath Natalia's chair.

"Just grab your teats discretely as you need to, eh? Don't you think you'll be drawing more attention to them that way, though?"

"Natalia, stand up."

Natalia stands up out of the chair and Holly moves to stand in front of her, stepping back to separate them by a few feet.

"You've got six inches on me in height. If you were a bloke, what's the likelihood that you won't be staring at my breasts at this range, seeing how you already have to look down to face me?"

"Zero. Being a bloke having nothing to do with it."

"Exactly."

"Aren't you worried about drooping, long-term?"

"Natalia, I am more concerned with surviving, long-term. Should I make it to my fifties and find that my breasts aren't as perky as I'd prefer, let's assume I'll have the time to figure out how to fix that. In the meantime, I'd like to live with as few bindings around my body as I can manage."

"I can't believe I didn't think of that! I'm joining the bra-less revolution."

"Well, allow me to aid in your liberation! May I whisper the secret password to your nipples?"

Natalia raises her arms above her head, presenting her chest to Holly's gaze prominently.

"Please do!"

Holly steps forward and immediately begins licking Natalia's right nipple while gently clutching her left breast, rubbing it softly in a rotating motion. Natalia immediately closes her eyes and moans in appreciation. Holly's left hand caresses down Natalia's side and hip, stopping to gently pinch her arse. Natalia's right leg lifts slightly and Holly moves her own left leg between Natalia's thighs, nudging the taller woman's exposed Mons with her hip bone. Natalia releases a quick gasp and her arms drop to loosely wrap around Holly's shoulders. Holly's nipple-licking advances in pace, inducing more regular catches of breath from her favorite Auror.

"Hols, you taking me to bed soon?"

Holly says nothing but continues to lave at Natalia's right breast, alternately licking and pulling at it with her teeth. An over-enthusiastic pull causes Natalia to seethe, and Holly uses the moment to lift up the girl by the arse. Natalia takes the cue and wraps her legs around Holly's waist, and Holly then walks the intertwined pair into Natalia's kitchen, placing her friend onto the counter space but never detaching from her insistent breast-care.

"Mmmhh! MMMMhh! Oh, Hols! Oh, Hols! Mmmmhh!"

Holly breaks from laving Natalia's breast, causing a momentary whine from the Auror.

"I have a better place planned for my tongue."

"Hold it!"

"What?"

"Switch positions!"

"Why?"

"Because... it's my flat."

Holly looks straight into Natalia's eyes then and her friend nearly convulses in reaction to the look of lust Holly is showing her. Natalia almost looks fearful and docile as she clutches Holly's hand against her breast.

"P-please, let me love you Holly."

Holly smiles back at Natalia, feeling her heart skip a beat. The Auror slips down from the counter, turning them in place and moving Holly's hips until she backs into the edge, hopping up on the countertop to sit at attention. Natalia moves immediately to kiss Holly but teases her by pulling up Holly's ribcage at the last moment, dipping her face down to enwrap Holly's left breast with her mouth. The sudden movement and warm, wet attention kicks off Holly's heavy breathing, resulting in her breast being pushed more emphatically into Natalia's hungry mouth. Holly rolls her head back, moaning in appreciation of Natalia's ministrations, doubling the groans in volume when Natalia grasps her right breast in tandem attention. Holly's moans come quicker and she begins to rock her pelvis forward as the suckling brings her near to ecstasy. Natalia chooses this moment to disengage her lips and hands to step back and grin at Holly.

"Good so far?"

"UHHN? UNNHH!"

Natalia reaches forward and grips both Holly's breasts while clashing into a passionate kiss to stop Holly's comedic whine of annoyance. Within minutes Holly's moaning enjoyment of the snog becomes an insistent short growl of rising excitement. Natalia breaks off the kiss once more, though continuing to thumb and massage Holly's breasts. Holly's protest is immediate and clearly voiced.

"Finish what you start, you wench!"

Natalia drops to kneeling in front of Holly's apex, letting her right hand caress down Holly's ribs as she uses her left hand to push Holly's right thigh upward, opening the girl's sexual gates before her. Natalia takes a moment of concentration, and extends a serpentine tongue not unlike Holly's own, flicking it out to tease Holly's outer labia. The witch gasps out in excitement and then sucks in a great gulp of air as Natalia's tongue continues the work, licking and flicking Holly's sensitive tissues, encouraging her to shuffle forward until Holly chooses to prop herself at the edge of the counter by her feet, exposing her moistened vulva to Natalia's full scrutiny. Natalia begins tonguing the depths of Holly's entrance like a firm, fleshy jackhammer, quickly bringing Holly to incoherent gasps of excitement. Once Natalia is sure Holly is close to (another) orgasm, she dips her tongue deep into her friend's folds while twisting her mouth around Holly's passion nub, essentially snogging the Hell out of the witch's entire sexual center. Holly grips Natalia by the hair with one hand, balancing herself on the counter with the other and rides Natalia's face through several minutes of thunderous orgasms. Natalia clutches and grips Holly's arse cheeks firmly to keep engaged and enhance her lover's time of passionate release. At the end of Holly's bucking performance, she releases the death-grip on her lover's face and collapses back onto the stainless steel surface. Natalia pops up immediately and draws Holly in for a passionate snog. Holly wraps her arms loosely around Natalia's shoulders for the kiss, nearly tipping them over as she starts listing to the left in dizziness from her ecstasy, though Natalia keeps them from collapsing.

They break the kiss and look at each other with loving smiles.

"What did I ever do to deserve you, Natalia?"

"You were you."

"Ohhhhhhh! What?"

"Try not to think too hard, fearless leader."

Natalia then sweeps Holly into her arms like a bride, bringing Holly into her bedroom and placing her on the mattress.

"Roll over- we're doing massages next."

Holly quickly rolls to face down, and Natalia starts dribbling warmed scented oil from a carafe on Natalia's side table onto Holly's back. Holly moans under Natalia's ministrations, the Auror taking much care and enjoyment in massaging the oil into Holly's Quidditch- and sex-sore muscles.

"You really had this all prepared, didn't you?"

"I was inspired."

_Later..._

"So, why am I going to impersonate a doctor from a sci-fi telly show?"

"Well, I can't recall what your first memorable sexual experience was..."

"Birth, pretty much."

Holly looks at Natalia, but the metamorph doesn't display any hint of teasing or exaggeration.

"Umm... okay... well mine was during this time a few years back right before I came to Hogwarts. I had my own room right next to Dudley's and he kept watching Star Trek at night. Well one night when I hadn't had a horrible day I was sort of floating in and out of sleep and started to get turned on, while Dudley is watching 'The Trouble with Tribbles', right? Well they kept making that purring noise and I could hear Uhura saying 'I hadn't intended to, sir, but the tribble had other plans' and that's right around the time my first orgasm hit. I remember getting particularly turned-on while Bones was describing their mating cycle- 'well it turns out they're born pregnant; which is a real time-saver!'... aaaand rapture, the sequel! Since then I've always associated that Southern Gentleman's drawl with a sexy doctor. He talks a lot in that episode- it can be quite nostalgic for me."

"And you aren't asking for Uhura because...?"

"Gwenog is younger, sexier and has the same sort of sultry voice. Plus, y'know, tattoos! Believe me, when you pulled that one for me I thought it was a birthday present!"

(Cough, Cough!)

"Have you been smoking your mum's menthols again?"

***

**Section Four: Echo**

**Chapter 37**: Family Gatherings

1st August

Holly wakes up from another horrible nightmare to find Narcissa sitting on a tufted ottoman beside her bed, applying a damp cloth to her forehead. Lady Malfoy is dressed in a floor-length white negligee with fabric about as sheer as the gauze used in Holly's gown to mask her scars. Narcissa's face is the perfect semblance of caring concern, her position a demonstration of grace in repose.

"Holly, are you alright? You were having some sort of night terror. Blood was seeping from your... scar." Narcissa moves forward with the damp cloth again, bringing her aroused state to Holly's attention.

"I was having a bad dream. Thank you for your concern, but why are you here?"

"My personal elf came to me in concern for your condition. I know something of... nightmares. I came to see if I could help you." Narcissa assumes a convincing 'haunted' look before continuing to dab the cloth on Holly's forehead. "Is there anything I can do for you, to help ease your troubled mind?" Narcissa sets the cloth onto the end table. Her breath catches in her throat as she rises from the footstool to sit on the bed next to Holly, looking down to the girl's satin-covered chest even as she reaches to tenderly brush some hair away from her forehead. Narcissa's other hand grazes against Holly's breast as she moves her body closer to Holly's.

"Well... "

"ANYthing, Holly. It would mean more to me than you know, to have someone appreciate the kindness, the tenderness that I can offer you." Her imploring twist as Narcissa says 'anything' rubs their breasts together through the thinnest layers of fabric between them. "This house can be so cold, so... isolating."

Narcissa leans forward, her eyes closing to slits as she opens her moistened lips and presses them against Holly's interrupted protest. Holly relaxes into the soft, expertly-moving lips of her hostess. At first Holly is merely polite in accepting the kiss, but as the pale blonde woman glides her mouth against Holly's in a taunting, enticing way, Holly's tongue reaches forward of its own will to tickle the darting muscle that glances against her teeth asking for entrance. Quickly, both women find their breathing accelerating with the dolphin-like play of their intertwining tongues. Holly lifts up from the bed and deepens the kiss, snaking her hand up Narcissa's shoulder to reach back through her gossamer curtain of tresses and caress the nape of her neck, holding the older woman's face to her own as they kiss deeply.

The kisses become more insistent, and Holly shifts to a balanced sitting up position so that they both can use their arms to embrace the other, caressing and tickling in sensitive spots. Fairly quickly, Narcissa's excitement gets the better of her and she begins to moan. Holly breaks their kiss while drawing Narcissa up to kneeling on the bed. Holly stares deeply into the woman's lidded eyes.

"You certainly have a strong stomach, don't you?"

Narcissa's sudden eye-pop of surprise betrays her, and Holly uses the non-sequitur to invade Narcissa's mind.

_**I am not the most sexually twisted creature you will ever meet. Narcissa wins. **_

_Within her mind I can see a vast display case of treasures. In the deeper corners where the lighting is poor, I sense a well-trod mental pathway, obscured from obvious importance. I enter a memory represented by a figurine of two doves circling a water fountain._

_Lucius and Narcissa are nearly naked and sweating, facing off against each other in some sort of wrestling match on a warm balcony, possibly overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. What makes the memory interesting is Narcissa's black strap-on phallus waving threateningly at Lucius. They engage in another combative clench and Narcissa succeeds in flipping Lucius around in a desperate move that causes her own arm to dislocate. Despite the pain, Narcissa presses her positional advantage, allowing the enchanted organ-substitute to worm its way up Lucius' arse while she keeps him pinned. Once fully inserted, Narcissa begins drilling her husband mercilessly. The dildo is feeding an inverse sensation up into her vagina through some sort of anchoring hook, providing her a similar experience to a male's in the process. Narcissa growls and grunts with glee, using the pain from her flapping arm to extend the length of her buggering of Lucius until she finally achieves a meaningful release sometime after his second groan of orgasm beneath her leaves yet another lost sample of potential Malfoys in the rug._

_Narcissa pulls out of her husband's rear rather abruptly. She flops backward forcefully and screams in pain, her shoulder popping back into place as she lands on her back. Lucius tenderly crawls up to kneeling to regard his wife with a gimlet eye._

_"Good. You should suffer for that. I doubt you'll ever best me again, my dear."_

_"(Hahh!) (Hahh!) To your everlasting frustration, (Hahh!) (Hahh!) my lord. I do not recall us both (Hahh!) (Hahh!) ever finding such satisfaction before. (Hahh!) (Hahh!)"_

_"Nevertheless. Turn over."_

_"Make me."_

_"Take off that ridiculous contraption."_

_"Don't you like it?"_

_"I do. I love it. But at some point... we are intended to produce an heir."_

_Narcissa's look of disgust is evident._

_"Lucius, must we?"_

_"Enough! Prepare yourself for me! I may never find enough ardour for this sort of... play... for decades! You have been provocative. Now kneel!"_

_Narcissa shamefully removes her belted-on device and takes a position with her head to the floor and her arse sticking up for Lucius' use. Narcissa grimaces as she feels him enter her vagina._

_"Please my lord, do this quickly. I'm already near to sickness in shame over the mistake of my gender. Take me, and plunder my treasures so that I may know your true feelings."_

_Lucius stops his shag to pull Narcissa's head from the rug by her hair, slapping her face with the other hand before releasing his wife to smack her head into the floor. _

_"Shut up you miserable wretch!"_

_Narcissa shudders as she tastes the blood in her mouth from her split lip._

_"Y-y-yesssss, my lord..."_

_**Armed with my insight, I responded in a way I doubt she was expecting, as it really threw her off her game.**_

"Narcissa, I cannot thank you enough for all that I think you are offering me, but to be plain I cannot make love with someone until I love them. We've only just met."

"I said nothing about love."

"True. If I would venture a guess, I'd say you were hoping for us to fuck ourselves silly."

"You needn't use such vulgar terms..."

Narcissa's weak complaint is interrupted by Holly licking down her neck while dragging her left hand up Narcissa's side to cup her breast.

"And if we were to suspend the hospitality vows in this room for an hour, you're hoping to give me a new scar for my collection..." Holly's right hand pulls down slowly between the lapels of her satin top, cutting away buttons to reveal her pale, scarred breasts. She pulls at the bottom seam to slip part of the fabric from her shoulder, exposing herself further.

"Something jagged and bloody, that you could lick. I would gasp and scream in pain while you dragged your claws across my breasts or around my hips..."

Narcissa's breathing comes fast and shallow.

"Maybe you'd want to have your wand holstered deep in my arse, engorged to the size of a mule's todger, while I pleaded with you to stop, but not stop, yes?

"YYYeesssssss! I agree! By my magic I suspend the vows of hospitality with Holly Evans for one hour!"

"So mote it be..."

SMACK! Holly's backhand sends Narcissa sprawling across the bed in shock, a bit of blood from her mouth spraying across the bedspread.

"But that's not happening to me. I presume you also enjoy being on the receiving end of such forceful interplay."

"I think... that you presume too much, Miss Black." Narcissa looks at Holly with fear from over her shoulder. Fear and desire.

"I'm Miss Black again?"

"Well..."

"You will call me MISTRESS Black! Now come here, so that I can heal your bruise."

Narcissa quickly crawls across the bedspread and turns her face upward towards Holly's, aiming her swelling cheek to the girl's face for review. Holly reaches up and wandlessly casts _Torpeo_ and a regenerative charm onto her wound. Narcissa almost looks depressed by the near-professional results, though she's still breathing heavily with every command Holly gives.

"Now, tell me why you're really here tonight."

"No... Mistress Black."

Holly twists Narcissa's arm behind her back, eliciting a POP and a scream of pain(?) from her hostess-cum-bedslave.

"Oops. (Sigh) I'm stuck. How do I make you talk if you're enjoying everything I do to you?"

Narcissa gasps out a response between pain-induced groans.

"E-e-experimennnnnntation... (Gasp!) ... my Mistress."

"You know that there's something fundamentally wrong with you, right?"

"N-no! Please teach me what I should kn-kn-knoowwwww..."

Holly squeezes her eyes shut in frustration, one hand rubbing her forehead while the other pulls upward again on Narcissa's dislocated shoulder.

"AAAIIEEEhhhhh! Y-y-you've done this before my Mistress!"

"Uhh, no. Just a natural, I guess."

Boy was Cissy pissed when I healed her. I should have known an Obliviate was in my future. I mean really- what sort of person goes into their guest's bedroom to seduce a girl they believe is no older than fourteen, and then allows said waif to dominate her into submission? I'll tell you- it's the type that thinks she's actually a man inside but is cursed to be trapped in the body of the 'weaker sex'. Narcissa would be a beautiful woman, if she weren't some bizarre regrowth of Lucius in female form with mountainous issues about esteem and identity. Even her presence in the room was just a remote version of Lucius' will being enacted in the form they assumed would be most likely to succeed in lowering my defenses. Narcissa is an echo of Lucius; a weaker, twisted reflection of the original that has nothing to say for herself. Doesn't mean she isn't drop-dead sexy, though. Just mental.

Hmmm.

Bellatrix is sexually homicidal and married to two brothers (or so Natalia reports), Narcissa believes she's a gay man trapped in a woman's body, Sirius may qualify as a dog on many levels and Tonks hasn't met an attractive mammal she hasn't wanted to bed. Of course, I'm an at-will duo-sexual with two souls, few inhibitions and a ten-inch tongue when I need it. Yup; I'm a Black alright. As for the pot calling the kettle such, I think I've cast my last aspersion on anyone else's sexuality. Though it makes me wonder about Andromeda... I'll bet any taker a hundred Galleons that she's lactose-intolerant if it turns out she's just a heterosexual woman who smokes.

**Newt, can we just take out this whole thing? For once, I'm embarrassed to confess the details of my indiscretions to Minerva. I don't think she needs to know how far this went.**

_**Okay, Mum. I'll just make a copy for my own purposes...**_

**You're going to what, now? Newt? NEWT!**

***

**Section Five: World Cup Indiscretions**

**Chapter 38**: Sports and Entertainment

20th-24th August

_Well Mum, I had a riotous good time at the World Cup. I've already transcribed a bunch of stories for my next anthology, but I thought you might be curious about a few events I saw, affecting or involving people that you know._

_**A tale about control**_

_[In the dark quiet of a late night, when most others are seeking their bed after a long day's adventure, my attention is drawn to a tent of gold-trailed Sapphire satin. It's not the fabric that draws my attention, but the sound of a slap, repeated every few seconds.]_

Candles are lit all around the edge of the room, providing an eerie flash of shadows upon the opaque curtains. In the center of the room is a large square mattress. Standing at the edge of the cushion-covered bed is Padma Patil, her otherwise uncovered golden skin offset and highlighted deliciously by ornate gold and lapis jewelry around her neck, waist and ankles. Kneeling before her with one of her legs propped upon his shoulder is Dean Thomas, his face enthusiastically buried within the folds of her sex, his hands bound behind his back with tightly-tied gold curtain pulls. Padma seethes in enjoyment but wears a face of anger and resentment, her arm frequently swinging a narrow riding crop down upon the dark-skinned boy's back or wrists, depending on how careful her aim might be.

"Lick! (Smack!) Nibble! (Smack!) How often must I instruct you in this you filthy beast! (Smack!) You are as talentless and forgetful as a vermin! (Gasp!) Yesssss! No! (Smack!) Tease a little!"

Dean begins to flinch more as the strikes become more frequent with Padma's rising ardour.

"Better! Ohhh! Bett... better. (Smack!) More. (Smack!) More! (Smack!) Yes! (Smack!) MORE! (Smack!) YESS!"

Dean leans back from his engagement of Padma's oral pleasuring and looks up at her as she raises her weapon to swing it with glee. Dean's look freezes Padma mid-swing.

"_STOP. Hitting. Me._"

Padma's face shifts from anger and frustration to one of fear and embarrassment.

"I... I took it too far."

"Yes you did. This was neat when we started Padma, but I don't enjoy just giving you pleasure."

"Dean, I... I'm sorry. You know I will make it up to you afterwards..."

"No, Padma. I... I'm done."

Padma raises an eyebrow and sneers at the kneeling boy.

"Are you now?"

"_Yes. Release my bonds. Now._"

Padma immediately drops the leather switch and kneels next to Dean, quickly obeying his magically-empowered instructions. Once he is released, Dean stands quickly and steps away from Padma. The girl looks around at her position and realises that the circumstances have changed. She quickly looks up at Dean with a growing expression of fear on her face.

"You... you are not going to... demand satisfaction... are you?"

Dean looks down at Padma with guilt and sadness.

"No, I went into this understanding what we were doing. I'm leaving the same way. I hope you found out what you wanted to."

Dean turns around, massaging his rope-burned wrists as he hunts down his clothes and quickly dresses. Padma sits quietly, thinking.

"Dean, we do not need to indulge in this anymore, but perhaps you would consider..."

"No, Padma. You've given me enough to think about. I don't believe I'll be dating for a little while."

Dean leans down and kisses the dusky-hued girl on the cheek and then leaves the tent. Padma sits back on the cushions, a few tears escaping her eyes as she ponders her situation. A light awakens in her expression; a small smile grows on her lips.

"Done? No, I think we have turned a corner. It is simply another puzzle. A hunt. We shall see how my pet predator likes being the prey."

_**A tale about aborted trysts**_

"Cho?"

"Oh! Cedric! You did say you were going... to come here."

"I did! I thought you said you weren't though?"

"Ehm, well I came along with Mari's family. Her brother came down ill so..."

"Well that's my good fortune for his bad, then. Would you like to walk together?"

"Ehm, okay..."

For the next hour, the young couple wanders the densely populated tentways. Cho seems bewildered by the crowds, so Cedric offers for them to take a break. Looking up at some of the nearby tentpoles, he spies a small brown and yellow triangular flag flying straight with the wind and leads Cho to the tent beneath it. Cedric touches the post at the tent entrance briefly before following Miss Chang into the quiet, darkened space.

"Better, yeah?"

"Cedric, yes! Is this your tent?"

"No, I'm just borrowing it from a friend. Cho..."

Cedric moves towards Cho, who is preoccupied looking over the simple contents of the interior space- a couch, table, two puffy chairs and a sidetable sit in the center of this salon space, with a flap at the back of the room leading to other chambers. Cho turns around to ask Cedric a question and finds herself in the attractive Hufflepuff's arms.

"Oh! Ehm... Cedric!"

"Yes?"

The Asian girl's smile broadens as she feels Cedric caressing her back and waist.

"...my, what big hands you have..."

"The better to touch you, my dear."

Cedric leans down and kisses Cho tenderly on the lips. Cho's initial response is tender as well, but she quickly ramps up the energy as their tongues begin to stab into each other's mouths. After a time snogging they break apart to catch their breath.

"My... Cedric! What a strong tongue you have..."

"The better to taste you, my pet..."

Cho gives Cedric a smouldering look and after a brief pause of thought, drags his hands from her hips up to her chest. Cedric begins squeezing her through pullover, blouse and bra but seems impatient with the barriers between them. He reaches down and begins to pull Cho's shirt from the waistband of her long khaki skirt. Cho resumes kissing the handsome boy, her breath becoming ragged and nervy.

"Ehm, Cedric... are you sure we should... do anything... here?"

Cedric stops his disassembling of Cho's outfit and gives her a 'trust me' look.

"Cho, it's fine. Are you nervous for another reason?"

"Well... we've never... I mean you and I have never... I've never been naked with anyone."

"Never?"

"No."

"What about your roommate, Mari?"

"Well yes, of course, we share a room. Just not anyone I... cared for."

"Really? Do you feel that way about me?"

"Ehm... I don't know? I think so?"

"Well, do you want to keep going?"

"Do you want to keep going?"

Cedric steps back slightly, giving Cho a meaningful look before responding.

"Cho, I'm a decent bloke but a bloke just the same. Of course I do. But you don't seem sure."

"Ehm, well..."

"Listen Cho; we don't need to do anything right now. This is a golden opportunity, but there will be others. Just don't start something with me if you haven't figured out how far you're willing to take it. I don't make decisions for you."

_[Sensing a less-erotic scene than I had hoped for, I look around and suddenly become aware that I'm not the only voyeur for this conversation.]_

Marietta pulls her face from between the tent flaps, breaking down in tears. She stands there momentarily in a barely held-back breakdown, and then jumps to start running off between the tents. Her course is uncertain; she just runs. Marietta's curly locks bounce behind her _[with me attached]_ as she rabbits her way through a quarter-mile of confused onlookers, until she is suddenly stopped short by crashing into another girl.

Luna stands up just as Marietta is bursting through a rack of second-hand robes, her skull knocking into Marietta's jaw, sending her crashing to the ground. Luna looks around the area for a minute in confusion, rubbing her head and sniffing the air. Deciding that she must have imagined it, she turns to see Marietta sprawled onto the ground, unconscious.

"Oh! Presents!"

Luna draws out her wand and levitates Marietta, leading her floating body back to her father's Cocoanut-looking hut.

"Well, I think tea makes sense. What about you, Marietta?"

(silence)

"Well I hardly think crying calls for fruit juice, but since you're the guest..."

Marietta slowly wakes on a loveseat within a pale white-ish domed room. The sounds of the World Cup crowds can be distantly heard beyond a thatched door. Her head throbs, but an icepack is resting on the most painful part of her jaw. As she barely opens her eyes, a cold glass of liquid is pressed into her hand.

"Pineapple juice. Restores energy. Drink up!"

Marietta acknowledges the command with a careful nod and drinks down the greatly-appreciated beverage. The glass is taken from her hand once emptied.

"Lips, to warm the heart. Kiss them!"

Marietta finds herself suddenly engulfed in a soft and loving kiss. In seconds her addled senses detect the scent of wildflowers, the feel of a woman's clothed breast filling her hand and the long hair of her kiss-giver tickling her cheeks as the snog continues. Marietta is swept up in the kiss, bringing one hand up to her unseen amour's face and using the other to gently grasp and fondle the chest so readily at hand. Luna shifts to straddling Mari's leg between her thighs and reaches down to flip Mari's skirt up and tease the inside of the older girl's thighs. Mari gasps and grips Luna's breast firmly, their kissing taking on a hungry character. Luna's tickling becomes a more insistent rubbing and her own pelvis begins to rock in a sawing motion against Marietta's thigh. After several minutes Marietta snaps her head back, realising that she is not just having a wonderful dream.

"Looney Lovegood?!"

"(Sigh.) Well now, that's unkind. I did rescue you from your boggart and chase away some of the wrackspurts that were crowding your head."

"What?"

"Wrackspurts. They make your thinking fuzzy, and not in a useful way. You have so many, I don't think I can kiss you long enough to cure you completely. I am willing to try, however."

Marietta grimaces in confusion and frustration, pushing Luna away harshly (in this case partly by her breast that Mari was still holding) and bursting up from the loveseat.

"I... what did you do to me? I'm not like you! I'm not... pathetic!"

Luna creases her brow slightly as she tilts her head.

"Are you upset because you can't remember why you were running anymore, or because you were enjoying yourself more than you expected?"

"I... I... I'm going to go. I'll... see you at school."

Marietta then turns and stumbles slowly from the hut, a very concerned and confused look plastered on her face.

Luna sighs and sits back into the loveseat.

"Well Newt, I don't think that was the worst outcome possible."

_[How did she know? We've never been introduced!]_

Newt pops out from under the shadow of a cloak lain across a comfy chair and tentatively walks up to stand on the chair's arm.

(Squeak!)

"Oh my! By my mother's last hanky, just what are you?"

(Squeak!)

"You look fluidy. Would you like some pineapple juice?"

(Squeak!)(Squeak!)(Squeak!)

"Okay."

Standing abruptly, Luna strides over to the icebox and fills another glass, placing it on the end table next to the chair. Newt dives in and absorbs the liquid in great gulps. After finishing the drink, Newt jumps out of the glass and writes on the open page of a Quibbler lying on the table.

_'Thank you. How did you know my name?'_

Luna smiles while reaching out to tickle Newt under the chin.

"I have no idea."

_**A tale about my mum being a tease**_

(Text translated from French appears in {braces})

Holly is walking amongst the tents in her 'Jodi' disguise: dark skin, long red dreadlocks pulled back by a colourful scarf and a sparkling namebadge on the lapel of her red golf shirt proudly proclaiming 'Florean Fortescue's Iced Delights: I am Jodi J!' Her denim cutoff shorts leave her attractively muscled legs bare down to the ankles where dark leather hiking boots protect her feet. The combat goggles substitute for eyewear in their 'Lennon sunglasses' mode.

Holly is striding idly this evening, occasionally stopping to say 'allo to a frequent customer or other sort of campfire companion she has made in the past few days. 'Jodi' passes a large and ornately appointed light blue tent looking much like a medieval campaign pavilion. The attractively-voiced woman beyond the open flaps of the rain guard catches Jodi's eyes and she stops to ogle for a moment. Her enchanted reverie is interrupted by the girl's invective-laden rant in French.

"{I have never been so insulted in all my life! This pestilential whorehouse of a country compels me to bathe hourly! How Maeve, Merlin and the hosts of Avalon ever stood to be associated with the inbred dirt-monkeys of this fat-cursed culture, I can never understand! Look! There's one of them now, oozing her lascivious gaze upon us. You! What are you doing? For certain you haven't the first clue how to speak like a real witch since you clearly cannot understand me, you garbage-rutting shit-wearing whore!}"

Jodi's eyebrows pop up and she stops, turning to regard the foul-mouthed girl as she emerges from her privacy.

"{Well? What are you waiting for!}"

"{Pardon me for interrupting your poetry, but I understood you just fine. What's your problem with my country?}"

"{Oh! A student! Nice accent! At least you are trying...}"

"{I think I'm doing well for only a year of study. Please answer my question.}"

"{The food makes me ill, the weather is atrocious and manners are entirely absent!}"

"{All of which seems related, to me. England is a harsher, colder land than your own, so we eat heartier food. The rain falls twice as often here, so you might guess that some of us aren't as pleasant because of it. Yet still, I would say my manners are better than yours. Besides, French food consists entirely of snacks to accompany wine. This may explain why for centuries the French nobility has been invading England- to find women of constitution to bear children, as the French ones all seem to float away in the wind.}"

"{Heartier food? Your cold English hearts require so much fat to insulate you that you wouldn't know a flavour if it danced on your face!}"

"{There is plenty of flavour in Britain, if you know where to look.}"

"{Liar! Only French cuisine is sufficient to excite a French palate. The only thing English food can excite is the bile from my stomach!}"

Jodi reaches around and draws a round cardboard container from her knapsack. She looks around the area and her face expresses a concern.

"{I dare you to sample a bit of English fare that will excite your senses like no other. If I am right... I win a request. If you're right, I shall personally travel to Paris to bring you dinner tomorrow.}"

"{Oh ho! A challenge! I shrink from no challenges and my word is my bond. You have a deal!}"

Jodi sidles further into the shade of the French girl's tent and opens up the container.

"{This is nothing but ice cream! Your foolish bargain is a wash- this is not English fare!}"

"{Are you backing down from the wager? I guarantee that this, like myself is wholly made on English soil.}"

Jodi stares over her shades into the icy blue eyes of her opponent, causing the haughty girl to stare back.

"{Or are you biased? Do you not like... chocolate?}"

Jodi's look communicates the second level of her question, and the French girl catches her breath briefly before resuming her haughty demeanor, though now with less antagonism.

"{Give me a spoon, that I may sample your pathetic dessert. I'm looking forward to some real food.}"

"{You'll get it. I promise. Unfortunately there is no spoon. You can eat it from my fingers, if you wish...}"

The French girl smirks slightly at Jodi's audacity.

"{No, I shall serve myself.}"

The blonde woman dips two fingers into the slightly melted iced confection, drawing up a dollop and placing it upon her tongue. She leaves her mouth open, subtly allowing Jodi to watch her lick her own fingers clean, though she is quickly surprised by the rising burn of cinnamon in the treat. Jodi teases her as she begins reacting to the strong flavours.

"{Are you... stimulated? Do you feel your palate being excited?}"

The tall girl steps backward, her hand held to her lips as she moves the cream around in her mouth. Jodi advances to follow the course of her opponent's emphatic movements.

"{Is it flavourful? I find it unusually potent, but not like a Bludger; more like a fencer's sword, stabbing into your senses, making you feel impaled throughout the exposed area.}"

The French girl finally settles down from enduring the treat and shakes her head of a lingering shiver.

"{It is nothing. Just an overabundance of spice to cover for a lack of inspiration. I was merely trying not to insult you by vomiting it out onto your... breasts.}"

"{Oh. Well I guess I lose then. I'll just take this and leave you to your suffering. I will be by tomorrow morning to ask after your choice of menu for the meal I owe.}"

"{WAIT! Perhaps you should allow me to taste your treats one more time... in case I... merely hit upon a poor mixing of ingredients.}"

"{So... you do like... chocolate.}"

"{Yes. Of course I do.}"

"{And you like to be... stimulated.}"

"{Yes, if the venue is appropriate.}"

Jodi looks around, seeing no one in the tent but the two of them and a House-elf that quickly disappears when observed. With an idle gesture she flicks her wand at the tent flap, closing and sealing it from intrusion or leaking sounds.

"{This seems appropriate. So tell me, are you sure you'd like to taste my... English treats?}"

The tall blonde looks around her and back at Jodi. Lust begins to burn behind her eyes.

"{Yes. Yes I would.}"

Jodi smiles, looking at the ice cream container open in her hands and seals it shut with a twist.

"{No, I don't think so.}"

"{What?!}"

"{You should apologise to me first. Then maybe you can have a taste.}"

"{Fine. I'm sorry. Now open that container.}"

Jodi looks down at the white box, opening the lid slightly and drawing out a dollop of the ice cream. She raises it up in front of the blonde who leans forward to lick it off her fingers, but she is denied as Jodi quickly slips the gob of ice cream into her own mouth.

"{Ahhh! You tease!}"

Through a full mouth, Jodi enhances her alluring gaze with a muffled suggestion.

"{Come and get it!}"

The French girl wastes no time, drawing Jodi into a deep snog wherein both girls swirl their tongues around each others' mouths and the ice cream shared between them.

The tall girl ends their kiss, drawing the confection down her throat in moaning satisfaction but not releasing her hold on Jodi's shoulders. Jodi swallows as well, grinning at her new playmate.

"{Am I to understand that you do not think this English food is abhorrent?}"

The blonde turns a powerful gaze upon Jodi, causing her heart to skip several beats.

"{No. I want more. This is a... special case.}"

"{I-I'm glad you agree. But I can't give you anymore.}"

Jodi turns out of the French girl's embrace to look back at the woman's shocked expression. Some sort of magic begins to build, but Jodi interrupts whatever attack her opponent may be building with a simple phrase.

"{You will simply have to savor the flavor.}"

_[Untranslated from here on in]_

"Comment? Pourquoi qu'elle dites; 'savourez le goût'?"

Jodi looks at the girl with a distracted annoyance.

"Uhhh, yeah. Y'know. Savor the Flavor."

Immediately the French girl stiffens like a statue, her entire body thrusting outward in stimulation. A glow begins to build under her skin and tremors shake her body from head to toe. Her long blonde locks stretch out towards nearby surfaces, giving Jodi a momentary clue as it reminds her of a science class she had before entering the magical world.

"Oh, fuck!"

Jodi stuffs the ice cream back into her satchel and dives across the room, pulling a hard wooden table onto its side behind her as a barrier. Seconds later, Jodi loses all her senses temporarily to the arrival of a lightning bolt from the sky.

SnaBOOOOOOM!

The tent and its contents are nearly completely shredded under assault by the unexpected holocaust of electrical discharge.

Minutes later, Jodi unearths herself from beneath the wreckage of the table she used as a shield. Looking out amongst the flotsam, she sees the French girl laid out in the center of a blackened scorch mark, entirely naked but unharmed and moaning attractively with her hands stuck between her legs. Seeing her chance to evade further problems, Jodi Disillusions herself and sneaks away past the gathering crowd of curious onlookers. Aurors and LEDs arrive moments later, a tall and officious-looking male Auror approaching the French girl with a cloak.

"Are you alright, Miss?"

"Ca, c'était la meilleure chose que je goûtais, jamais! Mais, où est ma petite amant en chocolat?" *

"I said, 'are you alright, Miss?'"

"Yes, I understood you perfectly! Yes, I am fine! This is all... fine. But... ahh... did you perhaps see a young girl, une petite negress avec le dreadlocks?"

"Um, no Miss. Should we begin a search for her?"

"NON! No. I will... see her another time, perhaps. It might even make returning to this pestilential isle worth the voyage."

[* translated: 'That's the best thing I've tasted, ever! But where did my little chocolate lover go?']

_**A brief tale from Florean about my mum being a tease**_

Florean Fortescue rose from his seat next to Padma Patil, wide eyed expression clearly indicating that he had a full appreciation of the cause of the unexpected electrical strike. The attractive Desi girl was now doubly curious.

"What was that, just now?"

Florean took a moment of wide-eyed consideration before turning back towards Padma and smiling.

"Well, isn't it nice to see she's learned to share? Assuming young Miss Evans has survived, we'll have to have a conversation about mixing my premium products with Tartes Française, for everyone's safety of course."

"That... was Holly Evans?"

"No, that was a Veela releasing magic in full ecstasy. Can you think of anyone else around here that might be able to cause such a calamity without knowing it would happen?"

"No, but even Holly would not be so foolish as... to... I see your point. Would you like me to accompany you and investigate the circumstances?"

Florean considers for a moment and then smiles once more.

"I'd rather not. Either she is in the midst of an indiscretion or a legal complication. Possibly both. One can be sucked into such whirlpools of insanity by mere proximity."

"Yes, that most definitely sounds like Holly Evans."

"I would recommend the Prophet in the morning, should Miss Evans not reappear. In the meantime, another s'more?"

"Yes, I think I would prefer that sort of a sticky wicket, at least for this evening."

"Delightful! You know, I've always felt it best to do my taste-testing in the company of others."

Padma looks at Florean with concern, her fingers stuck partly in her mouth as she attempts to suck the mixture of marshmallow, biscuit and chocolate from their tenacious grip upon her digits.

***

**Super-Squicky Omake**:

(YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!)

From 'the Tonks-Lupin Formula'

"Are they still..."

THUMP (distant sound of maniacal laughter)

"Yah, they're behind that desk. I think Remus has been holding in some needs for two decades. Best he get it out of his system."

"OH MY GOD!"

I look up at the transparent wall to see what has caught Hermione's attention. Both our jaws drop as we see Gordon whispering into Remus' ear before turning him forward to brace his position leaning on the desk.

I turn to Hermione as she turns back to look at me with an identical expression of surprise, the same words whispering from our lips.

"Well I didn't see that coming!"

After a few minutes watching the two men in Greek copulation, Hermione adds another comment.

"I guess Remus isn't the 'Alpha'."

"Hah! I coulda told you that. The man's behavior just screams 'I am bottom; please dominate me if you have some time but I can wait if you want...'"

"H-have you...?"

"No, Hermione. My affection for him is limited because of his cowardice. Sirius has an excuse for being absent from my life. Remus doesn't."

"Yes, I understand that but what I had meant to ask was have you ever... had sex... i-in that way?"

"Oh! Yeah. I have. It's interesting; a bit of a change of pace, but I can't quite resolve myself to prefer it because of the inherently unsanitary nature of the practice. Besides, unless you're having both entries filled or you've been at it so long that you're getting raw, the proper one feels better."

"You've had... both...?"

"Hermione, I will say this once and only because you're my close friend. Tonks isn't limited in her shapeshifting to only that which exists. She's really expanded her repertoire with my imaginative cooperation and some Japanese artwork from an adult shop in Bristol. Oooh, like that! See how she's extended several tendrils from beneath the phallus to wrap around and stimulate his..."

"I am going to bed, NOW!"

Hermione bolts from under the Cloak and sprints down the hall while keeping her eyes averted from the scene beyond the window-wall spell.

After watching her leave, I begin to wonder if it would be easier for her to retain some detachment if she wasn't familiar with the participants.

**Author's reference**: This last bit was inspired by some erotic 'tentacle-sex' art. Follow the link if you dare (it's mostly women in trouble with alien or magical life forms, delightfully well-rendered). marjorieDOTaurorisDOTnet/sketchbook/


	11. 9409 Spider in the Snake Den

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work. Similar lack of intent to infringe copyright should be assumed as it applies to Joe Jackson, M.C. Hammer and Seal. Yes, this one makes some musical references- deal with it.

**Spiral Tangent**: 'Spider in the Snake Den' - Holly's series of capers to humble and instruct her new Slytherin Housemates. A rare, less-sexual Tangent (yeah, right).

**Placement**: September-October 1994; chapters 39 'Red Light, Green Light' & 40 'Rule Changes'

**What you need to know**: Holly Evans was originally Sorted into Gryffindor, but following her expulsion for killing Marcus Flint, she was readmitted under strict guidelines for her behavior and academic performance. Now at the start of her fourth year, Adrian the Sorting Hat has asked that she be re-Sorted into Slytherin to help protect the dozen or more orphans and muggleborn students he wished to place there. Since their inclusion in this year's new enrollees was due to Holly's contribution of the Basilisk carcass profits to the scholarship fund, Holly took on the change of housing, even though she's already made enemies of half the House.

**Touchstones**: Since I am once again committing inter-chapter story threading, I've left Touchstones in between certain sections to indicate what is happening in Spiral Chapters 39 & 40, to keep the chronology straight. In other words, no, I haven't learned my lesson from Tangent 8, but at least I'm cross-indexing.

* * *

_**1st September**_

Following the introductory speeches, Holly finds her way down to the second tier girl's dorms and follows the curve of the stone hallway until she finds her dorm with only the single nameplate.

"Well, there's a small blessing."

After a quick check for charms and rune work, she enters the dorm room, noting that her Asian travel case is sitting in front of one of the two beds. Doffing her cloak and hat and switching back to her muggle outfit, she starts walking slowly across the room and back again, looking at the space and furniture. Holly is interrupted in her ruminations by a visitor- Draco Malfoy leans against the frame of the door and gives her a haughty look.

"Evans. You're in my House now. Best to learn your place in it."

"Ah, Draco. I see they don't protect the girls' dorms from male intrusion down here. Not that that's important to you, of course."

"What are you talking about?"

"You've cornered me in my room and all you have to say is 'obey'? Not much for girl company, are you?"

"The fact that you disgust me means nothing about my habits, except that I'm not stimulated by the company of animals."

"Good insult. You're improving."

"Perhaps you hadn't noticed as blind to our ways as you are, but this House operates by my direction. Even the upperclassmen follow my instructions. I bet you're sorry you crossed me on the train, now!"

"No, I did what I did because from any perspective your actions were stupid. As a Slytherin, I'd like to thank you, though. If you hadn't created the situation, I'd have never made any progress repairing my reputation, particularly with the firsties. Now they like me and hate you."

"None of them have any resources or a family worth knowing. They are nothing. Why should I care about them?"

"Loyalty. It's based upon successive demonstrations of reliability and acting for mutual benefit. It's harder to establish but more reliable long term, unlike fear. This House just picked up sixteen new members who wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire. Well, I might, but we both know I'd be doing it to be funny. Now go away; I'm remodeling."

"Don't get too comfortable, Evans. Your days here are numbered."

Draco stalks off. Holly walks over to the doorway and inspects it for a moment, then waves her wand at a few incongruous knots in the wood, causing them to vanish. Holly turns back to wave a few furniture pieces to different locations in the room. Holly mumbles to herself, "What, and you're going to stay forever? I should have said THAT. Well no, because then he wouldn't have left..."

A short time later Pansy Parkinson appears in the doorway, having walked the short distance down the hall from where she and Tracey Davis share a room. Her presence is announced with a petulant huff.

"What are you doing here, Evans? Changed Houses just to humiliate me some more?"

"No, I... is this going to be my evening? Are there going to be people coming every ten minutes to my room in order to threaten me, because as a distraction it's poorly chosen. Fairly soon I'm going to get truly annoyed and truss up someone like the Turks outside Vlad Tepes' dining room."

"That... may have been a part of Draco's plan, yes."

"Pathetic. And why are you participating? I didn't see you at Lammas and you weren't being kept company by any of our year in the Great Hall. You're more screwed than I am right now."

"I... am merely taking a slow path to regain my position."

"Right."

Pansy sighs.

"Alright, no. I am... screwed, as you put it. There isn't a good reason for me to help any of the ones coming to tease and torture you this evening."

"Do you want to sit down?"

"What?"

"Well you obviously haven't anywhere better to be and I'd like to ask some questions that may improve my chances of surviving the week. If you have any money, you could make a bet for my survival and then give me tips to help win the wager."

Pansy stares at Holly's unpacking process for a solid minute before responding.

"You really mean that, don't you?"

"I am here with a purpose. It doesn't require me killing anyone, but if I keep getting provoked..."

"You can have your elf here."

"What?"

"The rules. You can have your elf come and help you whenever you're here, so long as it doesn't sleep here. That will help you survive the night. Have your elf stand guard."

"Thank you! That's incredibly helpful."

"I... I'm a bit... lost right now. Can I trust you?"

"No. But I don't have a good reason to betray you yet, so there's room for growth."

"Some others will be coming to harass you soon. I'll... I'll be back later when things calm down. I'd like to strike a deal."

"I'm intrigued. When you approach, say 'Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive'. I'm putting up wards soon and they won't hurt you if I know you're coming."

"O-okay."

Pansy slinks off, her face scowling in distaste and annoyance, probably as part of her performance as a 'good' Slytherin.

Hours pass as Holly settles in; most of her visitors are put off by her general attitude of indifference to their threats. After the first ward is established on the doorway, subsequent callers learn to keep their assaults verbal-only lest they lose their hair, stomach contents or memory by passing through the threshold to Holly's room.

Around one in the morning, the darkened hall outside Holly's room receives a quiet visitor. Pansy walks carefully down the edge of the corridor, carrying a shielded candle in front of her. The girl's nervousness is betrayed by the shaking of the candleflame's light in the shadows. Pansy reaches the door to Holly's room and whispers, "Joe Jackson's Jumping JiveeeEAA...!"

Holly opens her door, still dressed in the denims and v-neck pullover she was wearing at the start of the day. She immediately looks up to where a now-Silenced Pansy is struggling inverted, her head roughly facing Holly's knees. Pansy's nightfrock is hanging over her face from around her upper torso, the unfortunate girl's otherwise naked body exposed to Holly's appreciative gaze. Holly gently reaches forward to touch Pansy's belly, causing the muscles to contract and the upended girl to cease her silent contortions. Holly presses her hand against the hexed girl's navel and slowly re-inverts her, settling Pansy to stand on the floor. As soon as Holly releases her magical touch, Pansy is freed to spastically rearrange her bedclothes while glaring through a tousled bob of dark brown hair at her new House-mate. Holly smirks and gestures for Pansy to enter the room and then closes the door behind them, leaving only a doused candle on the floor as evidence of the encounter.

"Get a good feel, did you Evans? I knew this was just an excuse to indulge in your perversions!"

"Pansy, if I felt sexually towards you, I would have been sucking on your pert nipples or sticking my hot tongue past your translucent satin knickers deep into your entirely shaved quim until you passed out in unbridled ecstasy."

Pansy's stunned expression gives Holly's smile a reason to broaden.

"Don't knock it until you try it." Holly then hands a dog-eared romance novel to the confused girl.

"You... you don't want to have sex with me?"

Holly pauses with a grimace, squinting in momentary discomfort.

"Erfh. Please don't say that around me, Pansy. You're the one who came dressed to undress. Have a seat and Winky will grab us some tea."

Holly moves to put some books into a shelf by the desk, others left on the desk in a stack.

Pansy takes a moment to gaze around the room, noting significant changes to the original decor. The beds are pushed together into a larger platform with the mattresses conjoined, set to one side of the room. One desk has been shortened to act as a tallish coffeetable for the two sitting chairs placed near the iron stove, the other desk set next to the doorway. Pansy moves across the room and sits in the chair closest to the pot-bellied radiator, demurely settling her nightie around her legs. Winky appears and places the tray of tea on the table before her and then walks over to Holly's Asian travel case, disappearing with a stack of books in her arms.

"I... I like what you've done with the space. If Davis and I were friendlier, I'd suggest it for our room."

"You've been rooming together for three years and you still call her 'Davis'?"

"That... is a recent change. If someone in a higher ranking calls you by last name, it is expected. If they call you by first name, it's a blessing, possibly an invitation. Calling your superior by their first name suggests a lack of respect or an established sexual relationship. My star has fallen, so now I'm the bottom."

"I thought you said you weren't..."

"The relationship is described that way for simplicity. It has less to do with the ideas of de Sade or Masoch than you might imagine, though some assume much more..."

"Huh. I guess it's just a more formalised version of the usual 'last name means I don't like you' riff. So if I go around calling everyone by their first name..."

"It implies that you feel that you rule them, or that you've already been sexual with them. Either way for you it would be an insulting gesture, likely to cause trouble, even a duel if you were to do so to Daphne Greengrass or Dahlia Dorsey."

"Nifty. Now I just need to figure out everyone's name. Tell me about Dorsey."

"She's the fifth-year Prefect; heavier-set and taller with long black hair and decent fashion sense even if she favours dark nail polish... What am I doing here, Evans?"

Holly ceases unpacking for the time being and slumps down in the chair opposite Pansy, taking in her frown of frustration.

"Well Pansy, you're here because you want to make sure I'm not going to seek revenge on you for luring me into Flint's trap. You also are here because you're so far down the food chain that Astoria would beat you up for your lunch money without reprisal, and you know if you make friends with me there's a chance you can reclaim some dignity. That assumes that I'll survive, so it's a risky bet, but you've not got many options left. Am I close?"

"Closer than I would have expected. Perhaps you are a Slytherin, after all."

"I intend to remake this House in my own image. Is that ambitious enough for you?"

Holly stares into Pansy's eyes from behind her rimless glasses, causing Pansy to catch her breath. A shiver runs along her spine.

"D-do you always try to provoke a... sexual response from people?"

"Yes. Am I close?"

"I (gulp) ...am."

Holly smiles indulgently, sitting back in the chair to put Pansy more at ease.

"It's the tea. It warms the deep places. Besides, the more turned on people get, the less clear they're thinking. Pansy, what would you say if I told you I wanted your help but not your company?"

Pansy shakes her head and then glares at Holly, though she has a slight smirk.

"I'd say that the next time you give me a passphrase that it had best not trigger a trap."

"Fair enough. First time is always the hardest. Trusting, I mean. If you agree to this, I'll make sure that you learn Disillusionment well enough to make the trip safely. What will you do for company instead?"

Pansy gives Holly a look of challenging superiority as she leans back with her tea.

"Perhaps my alliance with Granger will continue, fostering some confusion no doubt. Davis still associates with me, as do Millie and Malfoy's enforcers. I have not fallen quite so far as your simple-minded assumptions suggest."

"And yet here you are. It will be much easier for us to get along if your sarcasm is directed away from me, alright?"

Pansy looks up to see Holly staring at her neck as if it were being targeted. Her hand absently strokes along her neck where Holly had once left bruises with her grip. A brief look of fear shows that Pansy has acknowledged Holly's threat.

"I... understand."

Pansy sits pensively as Holly drinks some more tea chased with a sip of potion that makes wisps of steam float from her ears. After a few minutes, Pansy sits up, her face set into a pleasant resolve.

"I'm in. If you want to ensure an early end to hostilities, here's what I suggest..."

_Pansy's Pointers: 'You need to make an impression. Something showy, so that they don't mistake your reputation for exaggeration.' _

_'I _killed_ Flint'_

_'Yes, but they didn't see that. Only Bletchley and I are really affected by that image.'_

_The next morning Holly followed Pansy's suggestion in dealing with Misters Falmouth, Vaillant, Haugen, Montague and Warrington. Of course the details were Holly's secret, so that Pansy would be as genuinely surprised as everyone else when they saw the five older students knocking back and forth, hung petrified by ropes from the common room ceiling._

**Touchstone**: Holly demonstrates a human Newton's cradle, and then suggests that Draco bring Quidditch back to the schedule.

* * *

_**9th September**_

_Pansy's Pointers: 'Professor Snape's first House meeting each year is mandatory attendance- it's his 'Secrets' speech. Be ready for it.'_

"Secrets. There is no greater power, no more valuable commodity than secrets. A wizard may have complete control of his environment, every coin of the land, and every vow possible made to him, but if he has secrets, they can be his downfall. A man will work for pay, or the promise of... other bounties, but to know his secrets is to have hold of him.

"A secret is nothing if those entrusted with it cannot be trusted with it. To ensure our secrets stay within our House, you have taken a vow. Now you must give a secret. Each year, you will tell this assembly your most important secret learned in the past year. This is not to teach you how to leverage secrets- that's for the later years (a chuckle passes between the sixth and seventh years). This is to find out if you can be trusted, to demonstrate that a secret shared isn't quite the burden you imagine, and to illustrate what happens when someone breaks that sort of trust. Because every year, someone foolishly attempts to leverage a secret told during this meeting, overwhelmed by the temptation of power over another. And inevitably, we make sure that they regret it; no further breaches in trust usually follow."

(room-wide 'gulp')

"The incense you are smelling gives you some courage to loosen your tongues and ensure no prevarications, and there is a citrus punch laced with a Calming Draught so that you may recover from any shame you may feel. Learning to face the revealing of your secrets teaches you what those secrets really mean, what value they truly have for you. Not every secret is important. Before we begin, let me assure you; lies are not secrets and the difference is obvious. Don't. Waste. My time."

Snape allows a pause as the students begin to sort through their memories for a secret they are willing to share.

"As I speak your name, you shall stand up and tell us your secret. As this is a random choosing, you will not know if you will be first on the list, or last. Bletchley, Miles."

Miles stands up with confidence, then balks suddenly as he looks at Holly.

"I... I... "

"Speak up, Bletchley. After all, this isn't your first secret."

"Evans... spared me from harm because I tried to stop the others from raping her. B-but she made me watch as... as she... "

"Good enough, Mr. Bletchley."

Holly pipes up with an encouraging tone.

"No, finish it, Miles. As I what?"

"C-cut off the top of Flint's skull. She said she was taking her pound of flesh for that assault and the rape of Penelope Clearwater. And Flint begged for his life."

"Not exactly. He said I had no right. I disagreed..."

"Enough! This is not a debate! Mr. Bletchley, you've fulfilled your obligation. Take some punch and sit. Evans, Holly!"

"Is this because I've already started?"

"Stand and speak, Evans."

Holly stands up. As she's about to speak, Draco interrupts from his position reclining on the floor, surrounded by some 3rd and 4th years like an entourage.

"Shouldn't Miss Evans be telling us four secrets, Professor?"

Holly's eyebrows rise as she turns to Professor Snape for a ruling.

"It is unusual, this situation. This is about trust and secrets, Miss Evans. I leave the choice to you."

Holly stands with her weight shifted to one hip as she considers.

"Well, if I were a pure Slytherin I might only choose to reveal one, so that I might keep my secrets safe. As a pure Gryffindor I would bravely stand forth and tell everything. I'll compromise. I'll offer one secret, and answer three questions truthfully."

"Interesting. Mr. Malfoy, does that suit you?"

"Yes. I think that will do, so long as I get to ask the questions."

Daphne admonishes Draco while pushing at his back with her stocking-clad foot. "Draco, you're being selfish. Let others play as well."

"Mr. Malfoy may have the first question. Miss Evans, your secret. The most important one you know to date."

"I'll save that for the end, if you don't mind. The questions may lead there anyway."

Snape stares at Holly momentarily before uttering a dry approval.

"That's very considerate. Mr. Malfoy, do you have a question?"

Draco finishes brushing off his shoulder of imaginary Daphne-cooties and then looks up towards Holly with a challenging expression.

"Yes! How many things have you killed? Please provide detail. Without lying."

Holly gives Draco a brief glare before bowing her head in thought.

"I killed the Mountain Troll that was lumbering in the castle the first Hallowe'en I was here. It had trapped Hermione and me in the 1st floor girls' loo, swinging its club too high to hit us but enough to sunder apart the loo stalls. I transfigured a broken slat of wood from one into steel and stabbed it in the neck, and then Hermione dropped its club on its head, forcing the spike the rest of the way through. Basically I did the match to needle transfiguration and she used Wingardium Leviosa. We just happened to be terrified at the time. It only seemed funny after everything stopped making noise."

Some appreciative nods come from the second and third years.

"I killed... Professor Quirrel by shoving a highly magical object into his mouth and then punching him with magic empowering my fist."

Theo Nott interrupts from Draco's right, "I'm sorry, you did what with your fist?"

"Shut up or I won't finish. I killed the Basilisk by shoving Gryffindor's sword up through its soft palate while it was crushing me. I... gave Hermione a heart attack but restarted it with the Cruciatus Curse. I killed a rogue poison-mad Acromantula during a run one morning using a bunch of arrow spells. I executed Flint, again using Gryffindor's blade. And I choked to death a thing that looked like me that attacked me in Azkaban. That should cover it- six, with a seventh rescinded."

Silence reigns for a few moments. Snape draws in a breath and speaks, "Who has another question for Miss Evans?" prompting renewed whispering.

Daphne stands up. "I do. Miss Evans, with whom have you been intimate? Please... provide detail!"

Holly smiles a little as Daphne returns to sitting. "I will limit the amount of detail, or we'll be here a while."

A rousing wave of interest is accompanied by sniggers and several low croons of 'OOOOoooooOOOooohh!'

"Well, I and Miss Granger have been intimate to the point of stopping her heart. I provided oral satisfaction to Dean Thomas at the end of our only date. I am regular bed mates with an Auror named Natalia. Neville Longbottom snogged me righteously on the platform. Ginny Weasley and I wrestled in an argument that became unexpectedly satisfying. I... provided some form of erotic pleasure to a French girl who was apparently part-Veela. Oh, and I kissed Luna from Ravenclaw so well that we both orgasmed."

"REGULAR bed-mates..."

"... is she talking about Loony Lovegood?"

"Sounds like quite a kiss... "

"... or quite the tongue."

"QuiiiiET! We have one more question for Miss Evans and then her own secret."

"What do you know about Harry Potter?" spat out Blaise Zabini.

"Everything. Unfortunately for you, that's all I'm going to say about him."

"Ohh!"

"That's hardly fair..."

"Professor, can't you...?"

"ENOUGH! Miss Evans, if you would indulge us in a rewording of the last question, 'what CAN you tell us about Harry... Potter.'"

Holly ignores Professor Snape's expression of tolerant distaste to consider the question.

"Okay, well... huh. Harry lives hidden in the castle. He only comes out rarely but you will get to meet him soon. He's taller than me but scrawny, has black hair, wears round eyeglasses... and he was there when the Shrieking Shack was destroyed fighting off the Dementors last May. I gave him my old wand because it works better for him than for me. He's been trading letters with Miss Granger for a while, though I can't say if that's the extent of their interactions. Everything I've read about the night the Potters were killed is completely wrong aside from who his parents were, who killed them and that the house was protected by a Fidelius Charm. That's about it."

"And what is the most precious secret you now hold, Miss Evans?"

Holly stands tall (as tall as she can, anyway) and gazes around the room. Her expression hardens, and she speaks the next words clearly so that everyone can hear them.

"The Dark Lord is not dead. He was a student here in the forties named Tom Marvolo Riddle, and the night that he tried to kill Harry his body was destroyed but his soul remains amongst the living. He possessed Professor Quirrel until I stopped them. His diary possessed another student until I destroyed it and the Basilisk that it commanded. And while he had no direct involvement in the riot and terror at the World Cup, I am certain that his living spirit has returned to England, and is working to regain a body to rise once more. You may play at being superior to others because you are from landed families with power, money and prestige. If he returns to power, he will place himself above everyone else, even you. If he rises again, it will be so that YOU will worship HIM. Whatever he offers you, it will come with a price."

Silence once again reigns over the room. It is finally broken by Tracey Davis.

"Doesn't that mean that Potter really hasn't done anything at all?"

Professor Snape and Holly both enthusiastically respond "YES!"

* * *

_**14th September**_

_Pansy's Pointers: 'If you're going to humiliate them, you might as well enjoy yourself in doing so.'_

Holly gets up this Wednesday morning, strolls out of her dorm room wearing naught but her dressing gown though openly carrying her wand and walks over to the 2nd tier girls' shower... except that at the same time she enters the low tier girls' shower. Entering the room, Holly ignores the yelps and protests of the four girls showering or in process of dressing, sealing the door behind her.

"Alright ladies, you can either be stunned or pay 5 sickles for the show."

Two promise to pay, two are stunned.

Holly casts the window-wall spell on the ceiling, and the three conscious occupants below see another Holly walk across the ceiling above them, pausing in an unnatural way once in the room. With a few moments of preparation, Holly casts another spell and both versions of herself begin undressing in tandem. The two paying audience members sit slowly on a bench on the wall nearest the door, holding hands as they watch Holly doff her dressing gown to reveal her naked body. The Hollys begin to shower as if unconcerned with the scrutiny. After a few minutes, the door to the room above opens once more, allowing five upperclass boys to enter with their wands ready (Esthering, Falmouth, Vaillant, Jackson and Dinker this time). The hot water of Holly's shower has filled both rooms partly with steam.

Holly turns around coyly, carefully acting like she's looking at the upper room's new occupants so that the illusion matches.

"Leave now and you might have a good day, boys..."

Music begins to emanate from a small box in a pocket of Holly's dressing robe- the boys begin to look around warily- evidently they're hearing the same music in the room above.

_'U Can't Touch this!'_

Holly sets herself into a strange wide-legged stance and begins to bounce in time with the hyperactive backbeat, her naked jiggling form sending at least three of the boys into a state of drooling distraction. The eldest is coherent enough for a brief threat.

"Look here, Evans! I don't know what's wrong with you, but my lads and I are here to fix it! Right lads?"

"Damn! I always knew you were bent, Roger, but... damn!"

Holly's dancing begins to move her stutter-shuffling form back and forth along the wall of the shower to match with the shouts and yells of the music.

_'Ay-O! Ay-O! Ay-O, ay-O! Ay-O! Ay-O! Hoo Hahh!'_

The boys in the room above are all finally shocked into action when the Holly above seems to release several bouncing balls that begin accelerating around the room. Every time the bouncing balls strike one of the intruders they suffer a Stinging hex to the location and the ball splits into two smaller spheres while picking up speed. Holly's dance moves, while jerky and odd, continue to keep time with the dance tune. Within minutes the room above is filled with ricochets of statically-charged bouncing balls, filling the area with smoke from the small electrical burns building up on the boys' clothes. Their spells aimed at Holly never seem to strike and the balls quickly become too fast to hit with a targeted spell. One boy conjures a Protego shield but can't keep his concentration when Stinging balls strike him from behind, below and above soon after. He collapses to the floor amidst his fellows when three different shocks strike his head in quick succession.

Holly sings along with the last line of the rhythmic assault.

"Ay-O! Ay-O! Ay-O, ay-O! Ay-O! Ay-O! STOP!..... Hammer time!"

Holly stops her gyrations with her arm thrust forward, then steps to a more natural stance.

"Thanks for playing boys. I felt like I was lapsing on my exercises."

The music has ended and Holly takes a minute to rinse off the sweat accumulated from her dancing before shutting off her shower. As Holly puts on her robe, one of the two paying customers whispers "That was awesome!" and slumps down next to her shocked companion. Holly grins and then cancels her matching illusory self and the window-wall spell with a flick of her wand, noting first that none of the boys above her are conscious though one of them is still smoking from burns on his robes.

The shorter of the two girls stutters a question as Holly dries her hair with a towel.

"H-how did you know... th-that they were coming for you?"

"I'll tell you a secret, but it has to stay between us, alright?"

Both young girls nod, once again joining hands to Holly's amused observation.

"Well Casey, I've learned how to read minds in a way, so when I catch them acting pleasantly towards me, I give them a hard stare and find out what they're planning and when."

"Is that fair?"

"No Fiona, but neither is ganging up on me. Fair only happens in sports. And death. Death is very fair, as it's applied universally."

"Well then why do the teachers and parents and custodians and such always say 'be fair, play fair'?"

"Umm... I'd like to explain this in more detail, but the longer I stand somewhere nearly naked, the more likely I am to break the law. Howabout you two join me for a study session in the Transfiguration classroom after supper?"

"This... isn't about... sex, is it?"

Holly looks at both of the blushing girls with worry.

"Casey, we're standing in the bath together, we're all clean and I'm one slip of clothing from being classified a molester since you're in touching range; if it were sexual I wouldn't defer until later or have you meet in my Godmum's classroom- we'd just be getting busy. Relax! Aside from my amateurish display of naked hip-hop just now, I have no intention of corrupting either you or anyone else in the lower years."

Holly turns to leave, unsealing the door with a touch of her wand.

"Can we bring some friends?"

"Sure. Oh, and the spell to wake the other two is 'Rennervate', with a twist upward at the end, right? Aim at the head, because that's where Stunning affects you."

**Touchstone**: An hour later Holly is sandwiched between two meter-wide cream pies by the Twins. Five days later Holly presents Casey, Fiona and 18 other students interested in getting help as Hermione's first teaching experience.

* * *

_**3rd October**_

_Pansy's Pointers: 'Most of these twits don't know the first thing about leverage. If the lesson isn't taking hold, you might as well use them to teach someone else.'_

Holly is lead by Newt to a lonely boy, beaten up and sobbing in his dorm. After asking him what happened but just getting a shaking head for a response, she sifts the lad and finds out that his safety-partner/roommate was left behind when he ran from his oppressors and has been taken to Hospital. Holly brings the boy with her to exact restitution against the perpetrators of this abuse- Theo Nott and Dahlia Dorsey, who were accidently caught 'in flagrante' by the pair of firsties. Holly catches up with them exiting a broom closet down an isolated corridor (after consulting the Marauder's Map to ensure a private conversation).

"So, you didn't want your dirty laundry aired. That somehow justifies beating two firsties into submission?"

Theo Nott gives Holly a derisive snort.

"They're too young and inexperienced to understand blackmail and not worth bribing. That leaves bullying."

"Well, I think you should have tried 'buddying-up', first. Now John and his friend will hate you no matter what you do."

"No great loss..."

"You stupid sod. Either of these boys could easily grow up to run the business you work for, or lead the Quidditch team you want to play in. What they are now is not what they could be. What do you want in compensation, John?"

"An apology. And ten galleons. And they should get us treats next Hogsmeade weekend."

"Sounds fair, except I think the Galleons should go to getting the treats. How do you answer, Theo?"

"Screw you!"

A sudden buzzing noise follows Holly's punch into Theo Nott's shoulder, resulting in a harsh crunching sound and the boy collapsing in pain to the floor. Once on the ground, Holly breaks his foot with a stomp as well. Theo begins to lose consciousness from the pain.

"Hospital for hospital, then. That was a magically-powered punch, by the way. Dahlia?"

"Oh, that... sounds fair to me. I'm sorry, John. I'll just go and apologise to... uhhh..."

"Lloyd!"

"Yes, Lloyd. Let me know what you two would like from the sweet shop, then."

"See, there's a reason she was made a Prefect. They learn faster."

[Snort!]

As Dahlia moves to check on the unconscious Nott, Holly stops her and turns to the recovering firstie.

"Hang on. John?"

"Yes, Holly?"

"This is not to be bragged about, nor even mentioned. Do you understand?"

"Well... uhh... what do I tell the others about the candy?"

"Figure something out, but if Dahlia isn't threatening your health, you do what she tells you."

"Why?"

"Because she's a Prefect. Most of the time, Dahlia is acting in our best interests. You just caught her in a situation. Understand?"

"No."

Holly turns to the taller girl in exasperation.

"Dahlia..."

Dahlia returns Holly's look with a surprised understanding, and then turns to address John.

"Look sprog, I only had Theo hit you so you wouldn't tell anyone we had broken the rules. If I tell you to get back to your dorm room, it's probably because someone let a werewolf or a mountain troll into the castle."

"Oh. But Holly doesn't hide from those creatures..."

Holly smiles in mild embarrassment before answering.

"John, I may be strong but I'm only smart now because I accidentally survived being dumb before. Think..."

"And learn. Yes, Holly."

Holly shrugs to Dahlia and then leads John to exit the corridor, leaving a bewildered Prefect in their wake, standing over her unconscious soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend.

**Touchstone**: Three days later Hermione and Holly get into a theological debate with Professor Moody, and Tonks appears as Harry visiting the girls at lunchtime.

* * *

_**8th October**_

"Evans!"

This particular day Holly is sitting with Neville for lunch at the end of the Gryffindor table. Holly stands up to acknowledge her Head of House as he strides angrily towards her.

"Yes, Professor Snape?"

"This was posted this morning on the bulletin board in the Slytherin common room."

Holly reads the short scrap of parchment thrust forth by the Professor.

_**Found**__: Pet parasite (Boggart, somewhat young)_

_**Description**__: Looks like a fat ugly muggle with a large walrus-like moustache claiming you as their long lost child. If you have a similar worst fear, see Holly Evans for the return of your pet. Finder's fee waived in honour of the 25th anniversary of Professor Snape's bar mitzvah._

"Yes sir?"

"WELL?"

"Are you asking me for your Boggart back, or did I get the date wrong for the Anniversary?"

"THIRTY POINTS FROM..."

Snape's fuming is temporarily halted. He breathes emphatically for several seconds in the face of Holly's fatigued but open expression. After a minute of successively calming breaths, the Professor mumbles something and then stalks off out of Great Hall. Holly smirks slightly and sits back down at the table next to Neville.

"What did he say, Holly?"

"Would you believe, 'I don't celebrate it.'?"

"H-how did you know?"

"I didn't!"

* * *

_**12th October**_

_Pansy's Pointers: 'To make a real impact, see if you can defeat your enemies by doing nothing at all.'_

Montague, Falmouth, Haugen and Warrington burst into the Transfiguration classroom just fifteen minutes after following Holly there after supper. They stop with their wands raised at a confusing sight before them- two dozen first-year students from all Houses are standing in mixed pairs in the middle of the classroom, with all the desks pushed to the edge of the room.

"What in Merlin's name are all these firsties here for?"

Lloyd Dogeson immediately pipes in, "Holly's teaching us to dance!"

After a moment's confusion, Stephen Montague asks a haughty question with contempt in his voice.

"Are you stupid? Don't you know who this girl is?"

"She's a criminal!"

"..and a pervert!"

Holly stands with her arms open wide and a bemused expression to taunt the intruders.

"Yah. They know who I am, lads. Meet my fan club."

Montague refocuses his authority and steps forward with a swaggering sweep of his wand arm.

"Clear out you lot, and say nothing or you'll get almost as bad as the Black Bitch, here."

Holly's bemused expression changes to annoyed.

"Class? Rave chant, two beats."

The collected firsties all raise an arm above their heads (mostly the left, but a few raise their right arm) and begin chanting while slowly waving the arm back and forth, joined and encouraged by Holly.

"Heeyyy, Hoohhh, Heeyyy, Hoohhh! _Rictumsempra!_", and the lot (aside from Holly) all cast a tickling jinx en masse with the other hand. The bullies quickly laugh themselves to asphyxiation when hit by at least four spells apiece.

Holly walks across the room to tap the collapsed wizards with her foot and then turns to address her students.

"Today's moral/ethical lesson can be summed up by this pithy thought: 'We live together or die alone, friends'."

A few of the kids are shaking their heads.

"Yeah, that's a silly thought. Howabout we go with 'laughter is the most merciful weapon, but make no mistake- it'll do some damage'. Who here remembers a spell to lift an unconscious body?"

All twenty-four of the firsties raise their hands once more.

"Excellent! Let's go to hospital. I'll introduce you to one of my favorite people who doesn't like to see me."

Hermione bursts into the room just as the boys are being levitated above the crowd.

"I am SO SORRY for being late but I... Holly, what happened?"

"Practical exercise."

"Oh. Did you..."

"Never lifted my wand."

Hermione beams at the group of young students with a pride that is reflected back to their other favorite student instructor.

**Touchstone**: Hermione is late because she was interrupted in picking up extra Charms texts in the library by an intolerant Ravenclaw or two.

* * *

_**13th October**_

_Pansy's Pointers: 'Sometimes your past mistakes come back to haunt you. Better if you can throw an enemy into the path of that mistake before it catches up.'_

"Wasn't I just in Herbology?"

Holly wakes groggily to find herself once more in the Slytherin Punishment Room. She is seated in a stiff wooden chair with her arms chained to the wood table, the chains drawn taut so that her face is barely able to rise from the table's surface. She notes immediately that her cloak, robe and undershirt have been removed, leaving her bare from the waist upward. Given her state of undress, Holly is surprised to hear her tormentor is actually Daphne Greengrass.

"I was wondering how long it would take for you to recover from the darts. I've been looking over your scars. You've been a bad girl for a long time, haven't you?"

Turning her head with the limited range of motion available, Holly notes that Daphne is backed up by the 5th year twin girls, Clio and Calliope Carrow. The dark-haired spook-fiends are known for their rather explosive techniques in investigating the anatomy of animals. They're two of very few Slytherins who seem to actually appreciate Hagrid's Blast-Ended Screwts.

"Hullo, girls. Did Daphne promise you a chance to peel my skin or something? You look... expectant."

"We just performed the acquisition..."

"...and are staying for the entertainment."

"Yes, and quite an entertainment I have planned for you, Evans."

"Oh? And what have I done to earn your ire, Daphne?"

"As if presuming to speak to me that way wasn't cause enough! You've terrorized my friends, mutilated my cousin and several other boys of friendly families, not to mention murdering our Quidditch Captain!"

"Yes, but what did I do to YOU?"

Daphne scoffs.

"Like you don't know. Pansy fell, and now I stand as queen of Slytherin. Yet here you are defying our authority, mocking our values and destroying the meaning of the House of Slytherin! How could I not take action?"

"Well, you could..."

"Yes, yes 'Think and Learn'. We've all heard your platitudes long enough. I've suffered your insufferable obnoxious sarcasm and borderline criminal behavior long enough. It's time you were tamed!"

"And you're going to do what, exactly?"

"Me? I intend not to lift a finger in providing your Punishment. I'd just like to reunite you with an old friend..."

A dark and sinister cackling begins to echo throughout the room.

"Heh heh heh. Naked and ready. I'm going to enjoy this!"

The torches lighting the room dim appreciably, and Holly feels the cold chill of a ghost slowly passing through her body from behind. The vaporous form walks forward and turns around to face Holly on the table.

"Flint's back to finish your fucking, bitch! I will cut out your tongue and use it to bugger your arse while you choke on my..."

"BAH HA HA HA HAHAHHAAAAAHHH!"

Holly's burst of laughter takes both Daphne and the ghost of Marcus Flint by surprise. While they look at each other in confusion, Holly taps the nearest links of chain with her fingers, transforming them into gingerbread. With a yank she rises up from the table to face a very nervous Daphne and an angry (and slightly shorter than previous) Flint.

"Oi, flat-top! Take a good look, because this is the last joy you're ever going to know!"

Thrusting her arm into the 'body' of Flint's ghost, Holly incants a heartfelt curse.

"_PURGATORIO_!"

Instantly Flint's ghost begins screaming as if on fire- in fact, the wispy vapors of his form seem to appear engulfed in flames. Daphne begins screaming as well, clapping her hands over her ears and turning away to find that the Carrow sisters have been knocked unconscious and now lay sprawled on the floor of the room. Flint's screaming continues in an unearthly timbre and volume, pushed onward in suffering by Holly's mad and fierce expression, her arm jammed deep within his ghostly torso as she stares into his pain-riddled eyes. The sound is horrifying in volume, easily carrying out past the Slytherin common room throughout the dungeons of Hogwarts.

Daphne turns around once more towards the half-naked figure of Holly, seeming to have her hand positioned to clutch Flint's heart as the center of her torturous spell, but Daphne barely makes this connection for long, as she is suddenly knocked to the floor by a right cross from Natalia.

The Auror attempts to draw Holly's attention over the sounds of the screaming ghost.

"You about done playing there, Hols?!"

"Oh for this?! I've barely started!"

Holly emphatic torture of the ghost of Marcus Flint is interrupted, not by the very concerned Auror but by another ghostly hand placed upon Holly's shoulder. Holly ceases her curse to turn around and is surprised to face a girl in a white dress and veil, almost as if for a wedding, though the dress is tattered. Flint's ghost 'collapses' to the floor.

"No, Holly. That's enough."

"Penelope?"

From beneath the veil in front of her face, Penny Clearwater's voice echoes sorrowfully.

"You've done enough, Holly. Flint will not be allowed to haunt you."

"Really? Why?"

"Because..."

Penny's ghost gracefully pulls back her veil to reveal the same horror-stricken face that so disturbed any who had seen it after Penny's death by Basilisk gaze.

"...I have my own justice to take."

Suddenly more ghosts appear in the room- the Bloody Baron, Sir Nicholas, Moaning Myrtle, Drowned Dorothea and a host of others move around Flat-top Flint, pulling him up by the arms to draw him from the room.

Sir Nicholas is the last to remain.

"Miss Evans, do not take this as an endorsement of your execution of this lost soul, but I appreciate the fact that there's another ghost around here that won't be joining the Headless Hunt."

"Sir Nicholas, may I tell you a secret?"

"Certainly! My honour as a gentleman is not restricted to those currently of my House."

"Well, Flint still has his head _despite_ my best efforts. I was actually trying to behead him. I missed."

"Still, got the job done."

Sir Nicholas fades from the room, leaving Holly and Natalia with three unconscious girls.

Daphne wakes to find herself in much the same position that Holly was in. The difference is that she is upright, strapped to the chair in front of the table, and is facing an exact duplicate of herself kneeling on the table, only the duplicate is currently naked, moaning in pleasure and apparently being orally serviced quite well by a half-naked Holly Evans stooped behind her. The periodic flashes from behind Daphne alerts her that the undulating version of herself who is quickly approaching orgasm is being photographed every five to ten seconds with one of two Wizarding cameras in the hands of the well-bribed Carrows. Faux-Daphne's moans reach a near-peak, at which point her lower lip starts to flutter in her mouth, making an unusual chittering noise. Daphne blushes deeply in hearing the sound, recognising it... intimately. Daphne attempts to scream out in defiance or frustration, but she has clearly been Silenced.

Minutes after her naked doppelganger reaches a peak of sexual excitement, Daphne watches as the other her slowly moans out rather lasciviously in enjoyment. In a last act of humiliation, her mirror-self stretches forward to give Daphne a deeply sexual kiss from herself.

The Faux-Daphne steps down from the table and walks behind Daphne, leaving only the smiling, glistening face of Holly Evans in her view. Daphne then sees the Carrow twins leave the room, disappearing beneath an Invisibility Cloak before opening the door. Once the door is sealed again, Holly pulls out her wand briefly and cancels the Silence around Daphne, who immediately launches into a protest.

"People know about Polyjuice! They'll know it wasn't me!"

"No, what they'll 'know' is that you were orally pleasured from behind by a woman while pictures were taken, and then as soon as the photos start circulating, you'll CLAIM someone used Polyjuice. In the end, it will still be your tits bouncing in the brains of every boy's wet dreams for the next few weeks."

"And a few girls, don'tcha think, Hols?"

"Maybe. Daph's not bad looking, and that cute squirrel-gasp she does when close to peaking is entertaining. We should figure out a way to add audio to these things."

"W-what do you want?"

"Simple. Stop trying. I will not be defeated by the likes of you. Tell others to save their efforts since it's getting annoying. When I'm annoyed I tend to devise harsher reprisals. And buy your sister a present- something valuable that she'll like, so she knows it's because you lost a bet."

"I hate you."

"Well that's just stupid, because we never crossed paths before this year. Let me be clear, Daphne Greengrass. Anyone else in this House would have raped you personally for what this could have done to them- instead I created blackmail material. You and I know you lost, but I'm not that vindictive. Nothing will happen with these photos or to you unless you provoke me further. I beat you at being a Slytherin and I'm still keeping the moral high ground. The fact that you're still a virgin also will remain a secret, so long as you... behave. Think. And learn."

Holly unlocks Daphne's chains, loosely redresses herself and then casts a powerful Disillusionment from her new wand. Holly disappears completely with a shiver and exits the room, leaving the door open for Natalia to follow her invisibly as well. The girls are startled to find a large group of Slytherins camped outside of the illusory wall covering the hallway to the Punishment room, gasping in unison as the door they've been listening for opens seemingly without cause for the second time in just a few minutes.

"Don't ghosts usually appear when they open doors?"

"You twit- ghosts can't open doors, plus I don't think whatever was happening to the ghost in there included it surviving."

"You call me a twit? How can you kill a ghost?"

"I dunno, but don't you think it's better if it was killed?"

Holly and Natalia use a few distracting jinxes to enable them to skirt invisibly around the crowd and back towards the girls' corridor.

Both women reappear in Holly's dorm room. Holly grimaces as she embraces Natalia.

"Oh, thank God you were there! I fucked up..."

"S'alright Hols. You worked it the best you could and them none the wiser for the stumble. What'd I say?"

"Go home alive. Results matter most."

"Exactickley."

Natalia holds Holly for several minutes before the shorter girl finally breaks down crying. The girls settle down together on Holly's bed, Natalia holding Holly while soothing her friend by stroking the hair at her temple.

After a half-hour, Holly twists around and kisses Natalia, and then sits up looking around the room sadly.

Natalia sees Holly's sour mood and decides to change tactics.

"Well, now that your adventure is over, I'd like to ask a very important question."

"What's that, Talia?"

"The most important question... what'd you get me for my birthday?!"

"What, terrorizing a Slytherin girl by having raunchy sex in front of her doesn't count? It was almost a threesome. It was a two-and-a-half-some with twin witnesses."

"What'd you get me?"

Holly smiles and retrieves a wrapped package from her Asian trunk. Natalia grins madly before tearing open the wrapping.

"It's... biscuits?"

"Oreo cookies. You'll love them."

"Hols..."

"I've been BUSY! Seriously- what do you get the girl who can be anything?"

"A line of credit someplace with pretty clothing wouldn't go amiss..."

"Actually I'm waiting until things calm down for your real present."

"Really?! OOH! Tell me, tell me!"

"We're expanding your tattoo..."

Natalia's deadpan response communicates her skepticism.

"Oh baby, I'm in love."

"...yeah, after which you should be able to keep a Rapport with me without maintaining eye contact."

Natalia's eyes bug out. It takes her an extra minute to put her thoughts in order.

"Reciprocal empathic mind sharing sex?"

"In theory."

"I... love your toes! I love your ankles! I love your..."

"I get the trend, but could you follow up with kisses or something?"

SMOOCH!

* * *

_**15th October**_

_Pansy's Pointers: 'Clearly define the parameters of victory, and make sure you've achieved it before counting the spoils.'_

Holly stumbles out of the corridor to the girls' dorms into the Slytherin common room. As she raises her head, the students within immediately jump to their feet in horror, for Holly is spewing frothy pink foam from her mouth in extraordinary quantities. In moments the students flee for their stomachs. A few responsible upper class students including Dahlia Dorsey venture past the expunging girl to clear the occupied dorm rooms of the few students not already about this Saturday morning. Most every student passes Holly's foaming and spasming body in fear and apprehension, though a pair of firsties stop close to Holly, only leaving the dorm when Holly plaintively waves them away. Dahlia is the last left facing Holly, and she backs away with a half-mumbled 'I'll... tell Pomfrey what's happening' as she exits the common room, leaving Holly to her foam-filled suffering.

Minutes later, Natalia appears from under the Cloak, wearing a short pair of denim bib overalls over a scoop-cut striped top of black and purple with matching striped tights and snazzy black boots with silver buckles. She is carrying a milk-crate of vinyl records with a hand-crank turntable balanced on top. Holly almost gives her an amused look as she continues to heave pink bubbles onto the rug.

"Never fret, my Holly! Natalia is here with shrieking Chinese men, ready to set you right!"

Natalia pushes some books off of a nearby table and quickly sets up the music player, placing a pair of purple earmuffs around her head before turning the crank several times and applying needle to record.

(Pwing!)

(Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash!)

'Oooooooolleeeeeoooaaaaaahhh'

(Pwing!)

'!'

(Pwing!)

(Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash!)

Holly turns around and empties her stomach into a strategically placed chamberpot, though the quantity of pink foam coupled with standard bile and caper-like seeds overwhelms the gallon-sized container.

(Blooooorrrrrgh!)

Once finished, she rolls back onto the floor, panting and pale.

"Uh! Ohhhh, why did I think this was a good plan? I think that did the trick Natalia..."

(Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash!)

'OOOoooooAAAAaaaaa'

'EEEEEEeeeeeeOOOOoooooOH!'

(Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash!)

Natalia shakes her head and cups her hand up to her right earmuff.

"I said, that's probably enough! ENOUGH, YAH?"

(Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash!)

'SsseeeeeeeuuuuOOOooooo.'

'!'

(Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash!)

"OH FOR GOD'S SAKE WILL YOU SHUT THAT BLOODY MUSIC OFF!"

Natalia jerks into motion to stop the record. She removes the earmuffs while shaking her head at Holly.

"Sorry. I wasn't sure how long it was supposed to..."

"Hang on... (Blooooorrrrrgh! BOOAAAGH! BOOAAARRRGH!). (Spit.) What?"

"Y'know, I think your cultural exposure has been woefully limited, Hols. It sounded just fine to me!"

"This from the deaf and goth Daisy Duke..."

"Never you mind my outfit! I'm trying to recapture the feeling of being a student again. _Evanesco_."

Natalia's sweep of her wand clears away all the pink mess along with the contents of the chamberpot. Holly sits back with a sigh.

"Brilliant. Let's get to work."

Natalia looks down to a diagram on four linked cardstock rectangles on the table next to the record player.

"Map says they're all out. We have the place to ourselves!"

Natalia starts slinking towards Holly, unclipping one snap of her slightly undersized coveralls that have been lifting her breasts almost completely out of her low-cut blouse. Holly gives Natalia a brief, pained expression while holding up her arm in protest.

"D'you think we could listen to something calm and soothing while the memory of dry-heaving leaves me? I don't think I'm quite ready to consecrate the room just this moment."

Natalia pouts with a sarcastic, "Sure, Hols."

As Natalia turns back and bends down to look through her crate of LP's for something not Ska, Swing or Chinese Opera, Holly drags herself over to the entrance to the Slytherin common room, pushing aside a chair to inspect the wall beside a bookcase. After a few minutes speaking in Parseltongue, the wall flashes green, emanating its own sibilant response to Holly's queries. Holly turns around and shoots a spell at a large piece of parchment Natalia has tacked to the Settlement Board and then sheathes her wand once more.

After a crackle of needle to record, Natalia's musical selection comes to life;

_'But if only you could see them,_

_You would know from their faces._

_There were kings and queens,_

_Followed by princes and princesses._

_There were future power people,_

_Throwin love to the loveless._

_Shining a light 'cause they wanted it seen.'_

"And that would be...?"

"Seal; 'Future Love Paradise'."

Holly watches Natalia bounce to standing once more, the strap of her overall's binders still fastened pulling the blouse taut over her excited nipples. Holly smiles wickedly.

"Uh huh. That future is now, 'Talia!"

Natalia points at Holly with a last jaunty bounce of triumph.

"Hah! The right music fixes anything!"

An hour later, Holly and Natalia are just finishing re-dressing each other while ignoring the insistent pounding outside the Slytherin common room door. Natalia carefully straightens Holly's House tie under her collar, and then leans down to kiss Holly's lips as she smiles.

"I think green really suits you, Hols!"

"Doesn't it though? Sorry about the ripping. You were practically bursting out of that shirt as it was."

"It fixed up just fine."

"It sure did, ready to be ripped apart again sometime tomorrow. Find someplace comfortable to hide while I welcome our guests."

Natalia disappears under the Invisibility Cloak. Once observably alone, Holly strides forward and opens wide the entrance door, allowing dozens of delayed and irritated Housemates to flow into the common room. A second uproar begins to swell as the students discover that the dorm corridors have been blocked by a shock-inducing ward. Once the bulk of the House (all those who had been waiting outside) has crowded into the room (most of whom are shouting at Holly's serenely happy expression), she lifts up an arm and the large outer door swings shut with a loud BOOM!

Silence reigns, and every person finds themselves stepping back from Holly without noticing or knowing why. Holly enlightens them.

"Welcome all, to my House."

Draco Malfoy steps forward with an expression of rising irritation. "_Your_ House, Evans?"

"Yes. My House. For almost two months I've allowed you all free rein to try and exert some influence over me, to your utter and complete failure. The reason you couldn't enter today was that I modified the entry stone, as only a Parselmouth can. You have been defeated. I am Salazar's inheritor. This is my House. If you don't like it... you can get the fuck out."

Much grumbling begins to rise, though never directed specifically at Holly.

"Now, given that I can control who has access to you and when, and that I still retain a good, close friendship with the Weasley twins, which of you idiots would like to defy me by not taking a vow of mutual non-aggression at this time?"

The room falls silent except that Draco pipes up once more, stepping forward in his indignation.

"We'll see what Professor Snape says about this!"

Said Professor appears in a swirl of black cloak to mask his fading Disillusionment.

"I'd say that Miss Evans has learned well what it means to be Slytherin. Even I could not enter until now."

Holly turns to Professor Snape with a polite nod.

"I defer to your experience and authority, sir. Do I have the right to extract a new vow?"

The oily black-haired Potions Master sneers at Holly for a minute, then answers in a quiet voice that is nonetheless heard throughout the room.

"Yes."

Holly stares back for a moment before grinning widely.

"Excellent!"

Holly writes out a vow in flaming letters that float in front of the massive portrait of Salazar Slytherin.

"Now, as you enact this vow your name will be posted on the Settlement Board and you will once again be able to open the House door and pass into the dorm corridors of your own accord. Raise your wands and repeat after me...'By my magic I vow that I... (state your name)... swear not to attack, undermine, reveal the secrets of, nor otherwise abuse any student of House Slytherin. This vow supersedes and replaces the previous House vow. So long as I am a member, we stand together.'"

The vows are repeated with much enthusiasm once the students realise that the vow protects them just as well as it binds them. The room's occupants intone the convocation loudly in unison at the end; "So mote it be!"

Snaking tendrils of magic accelerate to connect the upraised wands to the Slytherin coat of arms at the base of the portrait's frame, including one that jumps from the shield to Holly's chest.

"Well done! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to extract vows from all the stragglers as they ask for entry. We should have this sewn up by Monday."

The students all begin to break away, some to return to their dorms, others settling into chairs to discuss the repercussions of the day's events. Professor Snape offers a snide opinion while the rooms' attention is still somewhat focused on Holly.

"Still crowing for your victories too early though, Evans. You'll be held to that standard as well."

"Really? All I said was 'state your name'."

The bustle of people slowly and grudgingly returning to their dorms stops suddenly. The only sound then heard is a faint giggle somewhere in the background.

"You'll find that my name does not appear on the roster, though I believe I can see yours there at the top, Professor Snape. I meant it when I said it was my House. You all swore a vow TO ME. Fairly soon I'll be the only one here with a free pass to act as I wish. Caveat Perdo- let the loser beware."

Holly allows her head to drop forward in thought for a moment before continuing in a softer tone.

"That being said, I'd like to start again with you all on a clean slate. I don't hold a grudge for you trying to defend your home. I just want you to understand that it's my home now, too. I will defend it. I will support it. And probably to your frustration, I intend to improve it."

After a moment in further silence, the room begins to empty once more. Astoria Greengrass walks up to Holly just as Snape billows his cape for a feisty exit.

"This means Daphne can't take my things or hex me anymore!"

"Yah, that's..."

Astoria leans in and gives Holly an emphatic kiss on the lips. The young amber-blond with green ribbons in her plaits sighs as she steps back from the kiss.

"Oh, if only you were a boy..."

"Oh, if only you were more open-minded. And maybe a few years older. Thanks."

"No, thank you! Thank you, Holly."

"So I owe you twenty..."

"You haven't made it past Hallowe'en yet!"

Astoria skips away.

Four hours later...

Holly enters her dorm room, turning to flop back on her bed in relief. A small voice clearing its throat brings Holly to sit up. Astoria steps out from behind the open dresser door, slowly pulling her House tie from around her neck. Her hair is more loose now, with the green ribbon from one of the two long woven plaits trailing over her shoulder to tangle with her fingers as she begins unbuttoning her blouse.

"Is this what you meant, Holly? I have a very open mind- that's why I kissed you!"

Holly regards the younger Slytherin for a moment and then smiles widely as she starts to unbutton her own dress shirt.

"Natalia, sweet as this is, I'd prefer if my dalliances with the under-aged begin and end with Hermione. While I was under sixteen it seemed fair; now it's just 'seduction of the innocent'."

Astoria's form remains, but it's Natalia's voice that responds.

"Exactly! There's a reason they sell the rags with the wee ones in Amsterdam- unplucked fruit, y'know?"

"Are you going to act unplucked, or will you simply be your fantastically gifted and skilled self in a little girl's skin?"

"Your choice."

Holly gives up on the buttons and flops back onto the bed with her arms outstretched.

"Be Natalia, strip me tenderly, love me gently and hold me until I can sleep. I've just been through six weeks of paranoid human chess, saddled with nightmares and barely getting rest. I need you. Make me feel protected, my love."

Natalia reverts to her normal appearance, though her hair quickly shifts into a spiky red-to-peach swell like a sunrise.

"'M-my love'? Hols, are you...?"

"Yes. My love. I want you here with me. I trust no one more than you. I love you. Dearly, sweetly and with a certain waning enthusiasm due to fatigue. So, what are you going to do about it?"

Natalia smiles widely.

"Shutting up now!"

"Yeh, right. The apocalypse isn't here yet."

"Wait, you aren't going to ask me to stop having sex with other people are you?"

"Perish the thought, woman. I'm already tired. Also, I have my eye on a few interesting prospects of my own."

"Will you be sharing?"

"That'll be up to them. Why am I still wearing clothes?"

Natalia grins and casts a quick de-Clothing charm on each of them.

"Whoa. Efficient."

"It only works in bedrooms where you have dedicated storage. You left me a drawer!"

"Three actually. It's not like I use much clothing anyway- I'm sorta boyish that way. Natalia, I need to tell you something. When we were in the Madhouse sharing memories... I... Obliviated you..."

"Oh I know. I found it a week later."

Holly stares as the beautifully-naked Natalia slowly walks around the frame of the quadruple-sized bed.

"You did?"

"After a tour with the Obliviators and my own tendency to stumble into things, I naturally assume someone will be messing with my brain unless I check for it."

"But... you're not mad?"

"I was for a bit, which is why our spaghetti got burnt that evening. The next time we Rapported I checked out why you thought to do so and it made sense. Of course, I'd say you worry too much, given that you're usually the one being grabbed by shadowy men or struck by lightning..."

"So all this time..."

"Look Hols, I knew that you had heard me and I knew you felt the same, even if you weren't ready to say so."

"Oh! You know me better than me, now?"

Natalia sits on the bed and turns a loving face towards Holly, looking down at her with sorrow, concern, and hope, with a saucy upturned smirk of humour glinting through as well. Holly is enthralled by the complexity of emotions being communicated by Natalia's expression, such that she jumps slightly when Natalia speaks once more.

"I haven't even starting knowing you. But every time we get naked together, you make love with me. I have never felt used or unappreciated, only teased sometimes. You didn't have to say anything, because you speak best by your actions."

"T-taking speechifying lessons, have you? That was... quite... stirring..."

Natalia leans down and kisses Holly on the lips with exacting care, their warm meeting of skin the softest but most emotionally powerful kiss yet shared between them. Holly's breathing deepens and she looks up at Natalia as she breaks the kiss gently to stare once more into her lover's eyes.

"Shutting up now."

Natalia grins wide. "Not if I do this right..."

(GASP!)

The next morning, very late (even for a weekend), Holly and Natalia sneak out to the 2nd-tier girls' bath. Holly lays in a strong trio of protection wards to keep the room for themselves. She then turns as she disrobes, walking intently up to Natalia where the peach-haired beauty is beginning to rinse herself with hot streams of water. Holly strokes Natalia from the base of her neck down her spine, ending with a lingering touch at the Spiral.

"Natalia, this is an order: _I want you to enjoy me enjoying you_."

They make love in the falling water, and for the next 45 minutes, every time Holly touches Natalia, every caress, tickle and stroke, and most powerfully every lick becomes a brain-buzzing feedback loop of sexual excitement for the Metamorph. Natalia's orgasms start almost immediately and begin to subside only ten minutes after Holly says "_You have done well_." while once more touching Natalia's Spiral tattoo. Natalia is left whimpering on the floor of the shower. Holly looks back at her friend once fully dried and dressed, noting her lover's pained expression and lack of a change in position.

"Are you coming, Tonks?"

"Hhhhnnnnnhh! Yeeesss..."

"I meant to lunch."

"O-okay. Okay. Legs oughtta work any minute now... c-can I get a hand up?"

_Pansy's Pointers, the Evans rebuttal: _

_'If at the end of the journey you can't enjoy sex with someone you trust, it wasn't worth it.'_

_'Amen, sister. Soooo...'_

_'Yah, I have a bed mate. Go find your own, Pansy. And might I remind you that you were boy-fond when we first met?'_

_'Who am I going to trust in Slytherin?'_

_'I'd say you should re-evaluate your self-imposed limitations, but that's sorta your problem, Miss Parkinson. Good luck with that.'_

_'Bitch.'_

* * *

**Slytherin House structural notes**:

The dorms are split between male and female corridors, with three levels (or tiers) dividing the years somewhat evenly. These corridors are rumoured to extend out beneath the Black Lake, but that would put them outside the magical protections on the castle itself so that seems unlikely. As of this year, low tier (the coldest and most leaky) is populated with 1st and 2nd years, mid tier is for 3rd and 4th years and the top tier holds 5th through 7th years.

There are no 6th year girls- ambition and cunning must have skipped the girls that came to Hogwarts in 1989. The boys tend to date pureblood 'Puffs and 'Claws anyway as the ratio in Slytherin tends to be 3:2 boys over girls (aside from Draco's year)


	12. 9411 Witches Tales

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work.

**Spiral Tangent**: 'Witches Tales' - Four women deepen their relationship with Holly, to varying degrees of comfort.

**Placement**: November-December 1994; Chapters 41-43

**What you need to know**: _Holly Evans attends Hogwarts in place of Harry Potter, though she found out almost a year ago that she IS Harry Potter and can now change into him like an Animagus. Later she discovered that it was Lily's modification of the Glyph of Weeping, used to protect Harry from soul-based magic, which caused her soul to be merged into Harry, transforming them into Holly. While none of Lily's memories were included in the emergent being, Holly has learned much about Lily's life through her journals and some preserved memory strands._

This Tangent is huge, and unusually story-related. Still has plenty of sex, though. Why make it this big? Because, aside from Padma's Tale and the Omake, it all happens in two days (20th & 21st December - Winter Solstice). Holly's having another one of _those_ weeks.

**Sections**:

_Padma's Tale_

_Hermione's Quest Ends_

_Recognising Choices When Made_

_Just Harry_

_Padma and Her Bleedin' Maths_

_Ritual Interruptus_

_Hermione's Wake-up Call_

_Sex and Violets_

_An Hour Later..._

_Omake: '...the one time...'_

_It is Fourth year, and Holly is beginning to realise that, in order to repair the Magical Society that Holly sees as broken, she is going to need allies and better ways of keeping secrets. Holly already created a variation of Riddle's Dark Mark that she tattooed onto Natalia (Nymphadora) Tonks to give her mind some protection from Dementors. Hermione reacted poorly to the idea- maybe because Holly only told her about it while they were recruiting Padma Patil for their cause. _

_**

* * *

Padma's Tale. 4th November**_

Holly and Padma have been sharing information for the last few days about Holly's double-life as Harry Potter, the Spiral Mark and the disciplines of the Mind Arts. After the fourth such meeting in the Chamber of Secrets, Padma expressed a discomfort with their cold, slimy and dark meeting place, in particular because she can't enter without Holly's Parselmouth ability to reveal the entrance and activate the staircase. The Hindi girl suggested that their next venue (and Time-Turning safe zone) should be one of her arrangement.

Holly approaches Padma in the seventh-floor corridor half-awake from the early hour of their meeting. Her uniform is only loosely put together, and the strap of her rucksack is pulling her dress-shirt out of alignment. Padma frowns at Holly's disheveled appearance.

"Thank you for meeting me promptly, Holly. Are you sure you were not followed?"

Holly silently shows the top page of her folded Marauder's Map while suppressing a yawn.

"Excellent."

Padma wraps the long gold chain of the Time Turner around Holly's neck and twists them back six hours in time. Aside from a brief walk-by from Filch and his cat, the corridor remains empty during their Turning.

"Please come with me, and verify that this space is as equally protected from monitoring as the Chamber."

Padma pushes open the iron-and-wood door. As she walks in, Holly notes a humid wave of perfumed air washing around her from the portal. The doorway appears to lead them to another part of the world... or maybe a different world entirely. Holly follows Padma in with her senses now fully awakened.

The doorway leads into a partially-collapsed marble temple or shrine, with the door on this side made of matching stone. Seven pools of different shapes are lined up along a descending curve down a hillside leading to a deep pond overhung by willow and Cyprus trees. The closest bath is a well ten feet across, surrounded by a circle of tile. It is situated within the dilapidated walls of the shrine, with an aromatic mist rising from the surface of the water- perhaps heated by a hot spring. The furthermost 'pool' is actually the squared-off stone edging of the pond itself.

Alongside the tiled outlines of each pool is a stone bench, and the path leading down from the shrine to the pond is marked by ancient pillars of marble as much as a yard in diameter. Diffuse light from beyond the low-hanging clouds gives the space a pink, otherworldly tint. Places beyond this opening in the dense trees are shrouded in a similar mist, and there is no appreciable echo to give away that this is merely a room covered by illusions.

"What is this place? It looks like a Maxfield Parrish painting."

Padma closes the door behind them and steps forward to stand next to Holly.

"It is a secret room that can be nearly anything that you need it to be. It can simulate any other room in the castle and has a few other specialised forms such as this one. In a way, I have you to thank for my learning about it."

"How so?"

"After your... 'Calendar Girls' speech I was approached by our seventh year prefect. He said that I was being demeaned by you including my beauty in amongst so many 'lesser women'. I accepted his attempt at seduction on the agreement that he teach me something equally rare and valuable. I had learned that from you as well. He led me here and I gave him my virtue."

"I thought... didn't you have your eye on Dean Thomas? Not that I mind; I expect that whatever-his-name-was probably was more trustworthy."

"Edwin. His seduction technique was much better than his follow-through. At the time, my relationship with Dean had not progressed as far as I wanted to take it so I chose to leverage both opportunities. I have been pleased by the results, overall."

"How is Dean these days?"

Padma blushes slightly. "Compliant."

Holly turns back to give Padma a knowing look. After a pause, she adds, "Good."

Holly wanders across the stone-tiled floor of the shrine, her progress followed by Padma's attentive eye. She finishes her tour and turns back to find Padma staring at her collarbone.

Padma asks, "How did you get that scar on your neck?"

"Flint's crew used Diffindo to remove my clothing. Sixteen of them, actually. Did you want to see?" Holly removes her loosened necktie and begins unbuttoning her top.

"N-no! I mean, only if you want me to see... but you would not want that. I would not want that."

"I'm not you. Take off your clothes."

"What?"

"You bring me to this romantic hideaway and expect me not to enjoy it?"

"I find this place very relaxing. I thought we were going to work on Occlumency."

Holly sits down on a stone bench and starts unlacing her boots. "Yeah, right. After our last session I'm not sure who should be teaching whom. I've already tested your defenses. They're adequate for keeping my secrets- you can defend and deflect, even when you don't know you're being sifted. You just need practice at detection."

"And your defenses are somewhat uneven, the weaker points shored up by the traps that lead into horrible memories of your past. We should be working on this."

"Yeah, but this is a wonderful bath house and I think it'd be a shame not to take advantage of it. I don't mind stripping solo, but if you get to see my scars, I'd like to see your flawlessness."

"I have already learned the aspects of female to female love. It was not inspiring."

Placing her boots to the side, Holly pulls off her socks and stuffs them into the footwear. "You got together with Marietta, right?"

"H-how did you know that?"

"I'm ignoring your silly question. Here's mine- what makes you think Marietta was a capable lover? Weren't you her first, and she yours?"

"Well, yes I suppose that is true."

Holly shrugs off her work robe and finishes removing her dress shirt. With the layers removed, Padma notes that Holly tightly fills her pale peach singlet and black denims. Holly steps up from the bench and walks on her bare feet to stand in front of Padma. "So really all you've gotten is a packet of sugar; I could give you a serious Sacher Torte."

"I am unfamiliar--"

"It's a dense, very dark chocolate cake that when made well will excite the senses with only a single taste."

"You are making analogy of your skill as a lover to baked goods."

Holly smiles in a hopefully seductive way. "Yes. Are you not fond of... treats?"

"I am unimpressed with most pick-up lines, double-entendres or poetic imagery. Edwin was overbearing in his abuse of prose."

Holly's smile fades slightly. "Ah. You would prefer something more direct."

"Yes. I have a desire for men and have already explored this facet of sexuality. What, in such an experience you could provide, would be significant enough to make me re-evaluate my choices?"

"I regularly keep pace with a nymphomaniacal metamorph and I have a ten-inch prehensile tongue."

Padma gasps slightly, watching Holly extend her tongue from her open mouth, sliding it down to caress her own neck out to the edge of her shoulder and back. Holly then stands up from the bench and strides forward with a focused gaze, backing Padma into a marble column. The dusky girl moves her hand before her in defense, gently placing it at Holly's collarbone once the girl stops her advance. Her voice seems lost for the moment.

Holly reaches up and takes hold of the hand touching her scar, drawing it up close to her face. She gently cups it in front of her and tickles the palm with the split tips of her tongue. She gazes at the taper of Padma's fingers, massaging the thumb with one hand even as she teases the sensitive parts between the digits with the other.

Padma squeezes her eyes shut and moans. "Holly, please..."

"Please what?"

"Please do not seduce me. I do not want to involve myself with you any more than I already am." Padma opens her eyes and looks back at Holly imploringly. A moment passes, where Holly's fierce intent is answered by Padma's fearful submission, accompanied by uneven breathing.

Holly shrugs and releases Padma's hand. "Okay." She steps back and turns around, dipping a toe into the heated pool. Holly then removes her glasses and taps her foot, causing all her other clothing to disappear.

Padma gasps in shock and then carefully calms her breath. She watches as the naked woman before her slips down into the steaming bath with a sigh. The Hindi steps away from the column unsurely. After watching Holly drop fully into the water and return to the surface with her hair slicked back away from her face, Padma walks slowly around the edge of the pool to face Holly once more.

"I do not understand. You could have had me just then, but you have abandoned the chase with what seems to be very little grief or frustration. Did this mean... so very little, to you?"

Holly squints and looks up at Padma. "I didn't mean to frighten you but I don't understand you, yet. I often put people on the spot about sex so that I can get a better sense of their interests and priorities, but you're a difficult read. You look at me with lust every once in a while, but for the most part you act like I'm the wolf and you're the rabbit."

"I do not fear that you _intend_ to kill me, if that is your concern."

"Padma, are you going to share this pool with me?"

"No. But I will bathe in the next one over." Padma gracefully slips off her flats revealing her bare feet. She kicks the shoes underneath the stone bench alongside the next pool.

Holly considers for a moment before interrupting Padma's bath preparations. "Is this a caste thing?"

Padma is caught short and stops removing her robe to consider the question. She finishes pulling off her work robe and removes her blouse and skirt, leaving her in a thin white sleeveless undervest and knee-length slip. Padma unhooks her bra from beneath the undervest, pulling it away through an arm hole. Her darker skin seems to glow from beneath the sheer fabric.

She turns back to face Holly, noting that the red-headed witch is squinting at her body, apparently enjoying the view despite having removed her glasses. Holly's own body is only slightly obscured by the steamy water of her bath. Padma shivers slightly at seeing the pinkish scars across her chest, visible by their contrast to Holly's pale skin. Also prominent with her hair slicked back is the jagged rent on Holly's forehead. Padma feels herself gazing a little too long and snaps her attention back to the conversation.

"Yes. You are a warrior. I am not. We should not mix."

"Bollocks. I'll give you the dodge had some merit, but you didn't say I was Untouchable. Whether you consider yourself artisan or priest, such mixes are allowed, right? What's the real reason?"

"I am pleased to hear that you studied my books--"

"Answer the question, Padma."

"You are... frightening. There, I said it."

"You haven't said much. What about me frightens you? This may be a simple misunderstanding..."

"You are not human. You are more than just a witch. I have heard tales about those who would travel in the company of an avatar, and the mortals do not fare well."

Holly rolls her eyes. "But don't they usually get resurrected later?"

"The earlier versions do not include such happy endings. Cities may burn to ash in the midst of divine disagreements. Such is the nature of your conflict with the Dark Lord- it reaches beyond the grave."

"You say that like _I_ can't be understood or related to. I am a girl. We have much in common."

"You may appear as a woman but there is where our commonality ends."

"Is this because I can switch? Surely there must be stories about other people in this situation. Even Natalia can appear as either."

"Of course. Those stories are legends, and like those legends you are associated with acts of wonder and creatures of great rarity. Did your metamorph friend not explain how unusual her talent is, particularly in the extent of her ability?"

"Yeah..."

"And already you have broken the rules that others considered inviolate, by using two Unforgivable Curses as blessings. You defeated a Mountain Troll and killed a Basilisk. Reality warps around you. Those who stand too close are caught in the wake and must twist similarly or they shall surely perish."

Holly scowls. "So why stick around with me at all? You could have taken the Obliviation route."

Padma sits demurely onto the stone bench, crossing her legs and resting her forearms on her knee. She considers for a moment before responding.

"It is a calculated risk. Already in my time with you I have learned things that no one else of our generation would be likely to discover or have a chance to investigate. I am willing to stand in your shadow, in order to explore the secrets you uncover. Only so close and no closer. Will you accept my terms of involvement?"

"Sure."

Holly puts her glasses back on and then raises her hand out of the water, the tip of her finger glowing blue with enchantment.

"By my magic, I promise to treat Padma Patil with the respect of equals, to keep her secrets and not to force or coerce her into sexual congress with me."

Padma retrieves her wand and raises it in front of her, pointing the tip skyward.

"By my magic, I vow to keep secret that which I learn through association with Holly Evans, only speaking of these matters with those whom she has explicitly named as trustworthy, and only of the matters she deems appropriate to be shared."

Both witches nod in agreement after considering the other's words. They then speak the invocation in tandem, "So mote it be." Aqua-coloured light from both witches arcs out to twist together, then splits back to land in the center of each girl's chest. Holly idly rubs her sternum where the magic re-entered her body.

"I'll say this as I said it to Hermione- you decide to pursue me sexually and the gloves are off."

"I will attempt to forego any teasing in the matter." Padma then pulls the vest up over her breasts and off from around her head. She stands up from the bench and with a second movement she slides her slip and knickers over her hips to fall around her ankles, revealing her primly shaven privates and smooth, shapely legs. Padma steps to the side and then bends down slowly at the waist to retrieve the errant pieces of clothing, placing them with her robes before stalking across the tile and descending into the next (oval-shaped) pool.

Holly watches this brief but enticing striptease with interest, sighing deeply once Padma's chest barely descends below the water line.

Padma reclines in the bath facing toward Holly but rises slightly from the water (now that her chest is wet) with a concerned look. "Are you alright?"

Holly's covetous expression darkens.

"Girl, you're cruel. Drop-dead gorgeous, eminently taste-worthy and graceful to a model's envy, but cruel."

Padma smiles in satisfaction. "This is not an invitation of any sort, but I will be amused to see you suffer in my presence. I know that you find me attractive. Surely you can appreciate the irony from my perspective- I'm taunting a Devi to worship _my_ beauty from afar."

"You seem to have moved beyond your fear of my possibly-divine nature..."

"Yes. The vow does give me some sense of safety within your presence." Padma rises slightly more out of the water, presenting her chest prominently while binding her long dark hair into a loose knot to keep it out of the water.

Holly grumps for a moment. She fiddles with something in her hands and then draws her left arm out of the water, pointing her finger towards Padma in the next pool. With a 'twang', an elastic zips across the open space to snap into Padma's left breast, giving the shocked girl a small but painful welt.

"Oww!"

"Remember that motto about tickling dragons...?"

**

* * *

A little more that you need to know**: _After seeing Holly nearly killed facing dragons during the First Task of the Tri-school Tournament of Wizardry, Hermione changed direction and lobbied (unsuccessfully) to be Marked as well. In Holly's most recent argument against it, she explained that she feels Hermione is blessed by God and would be sacrificing that blessing if she took the Spiral Mark._

_**

* * *

Hermione's Quest Ends; 20th December **_

Hermione pulls Holly and 'Harry' into a private conversation in an isolated hallway after intercepting their departure from lunch in the Great Hall. After ensuring their protection, Hermione stands with one foot forward, as if for a stage soliloquy.

"'Every subject's duty is the king's;

but every subject's soul is his own.'

Grace is only MY responsibil'ty,

and I devote myself to your venture.

By blood I am our enemy's target;

I want Spiral's armor for this conflict.

Will you leave my mind bereft of aegis?

Am I not worth protecting anymore?

Your Mark is the banner I choose to bear.

Trust me now and I shall never waver."

Harry-Tonks looks between Holly and Hermione, who are staring at each other intently.

"Ehmm, I'd swear that was English but what'd she say?"

"Hermione said 'shit or get off the pot'. If we're starting a revolution then I can't be coddling her as she's already a prime target for the enemy even without me loving her. Whether or not she loses God's blessing is her problem. It's a fair argument... and in iambic pentameter, no less."

Hermione tilts her head back in satisfaction. "So you'll agree, now?"

"Not in the least. It was lovely poetry, Hermione, but if I'm going to let my convictions be overturned by a song then we're already doomed."

Holly turns and exits the border of privacy, leaving the other two behind. Harry-Tonks scowls at Holly's departure and then turns and smiles at Hermione, who is slumped against the wall looking defeated.

_**~o~

* * *

**_

Hermione sidelines Holly again after dinner. With just a look the girls agree to find a private space and soon are sealed within a nearby receiving room. Holly turns to face Hermione, interrupting her friend's building presentation.

"I--"

"Hold up, Hermione. I'm getting tired of arguing with you about this, so I'm going to give you fair warning. If you bring up this topic again after today, I'm just going to hit you. No dialogue, no discourse, just violence. I've made my point. From here on out you're just arguing to annoy me, and I will slap you to ensure that you don't waste my time."

Hermione glares at Holly in annoyance over the threat. "May I have my 'last shot', now?"

"Yeah. Serve it up. Dazzle me." Holly sits down on a nearby marble end table and glares back at Hermione.

"I'm the girl that punched Minister Fudge; I'm the girl that breaks all their assumptions about blood; I'm the girl who ruins the scoring. They're going to KILL ME just for being me; never mind being your friend, your lover or your fellow revolutionary. "

"Doesn't mean you need the Mark. I already know that you're in agreement about the need for change."

"But I can't just be a resource! This is MY FIGHT, even more so than yours! You already have a future set, should you choose it, and this society would allow you entrance to their halls of privilege if you were to convince them of your contrition and a change in beliefs. I will ALWAYS be on the outside if things are left as they are."

"No doubt."

"Then... why won't you let me serve the way I WANT TO?"

"Because you don't know what that means. You haven't had to make a hard choice. Prove to me that you are willing to make hard choices, Hermione."

Hermione paces about in agitation. "How do I do that? Do you want me to capture an enemy and torture some secrets out of them? Be realistic, Holly! Not everyone needs to serve in the trenches, and you can't see all the strategies while you're fighting. You need me!"

Holly shuts her eyes and rolls her head in frustration for a moment.

"Hermione, you're right. I do need you, but not for that. I need you... to be safe. I need to focus on you as the reason to go through what I go through. If I take you in as a minion and destroy your... Grace, then I'll lose that... belief. I need to be able to believe in a better person, a better world. You are the personification of the better world I seek to make. If I destroy you in order to make that world, then what's the point of the struggle?"

"Holly, I'm not a saint. I'm not even pure. By many standards, I've fallen so far that Jesus already weeps for me. If you need to focus on someone for whom to make the better world, make it be for my children. For your children. For... your and Natalia's children. Make it be for that, and to take apart the society that's forcing us to live through this bilge, when this world should already be a wonder and a delight. They promised us magic and gave us horror--"

Hermione is cut off by Holly's annoyed growl. "Stop writing speeches for a minute and just talk to me! Why do you want THIS so badly, really?"

Hermione mimics Holly's earlier head-rolling motion before letting out a huff and continuing.

"I... oh God. I can't believe I'm going to..."

"What?"

Hermione turns and stares directly into Holly's eyes. "Holly, I desperately need to be fucked long and hard in the near future and with great frequency. I miss having you... plunge your fingers into my snatch and tease my nipples to hard points before sucking on my teats until my knickers are flooded with love juice. I want you so bad it hurts. I need the Mark to fix my brain so that we can be lovers again."

Holly rubs her ear while staring flabbergasted at her friend. A chuckle finally slips beyond her moment of shock. "H-Hermione, what the fuck?"

Hermione's head falls forward in defeat. "It... was a suggestion from Natalia."

"She told you to say that? And you listened?"

"Well, it's not the sort of thing you forget."

"No, no, I certainly won't. And... do you actually feel that way?"

Hermione blushes deeply while looking at Holly askance. A small squeak of a voice issues from her lips, "Yes."

It takes a long moment before Holly responds, "Liar. Fine."

"Fine? What do you mean, 'fine'?"

"Tomorrow. I will take your virginity in the morning. Afterwards, the Marking."

Hermione squints at Holly with incredulity. "A-alright. Is this really because of what I just said?"

"Yeah. You threw out your logical and impassioned argument and took the advice of someone you don't respect but who commands my attention. You volunteered to perform unsavory sexual acts for an indeterminate amount of time. And you lied about wanting me, well enough for it to be believable for two seconds. A hard choice."

Hermione grumps and points an accusing finger at Holly. "You planned this with her!"

"Not at all. Hermione, I hope you will eventually understand that Natalia may not be book-smart but she is very wise. By getting you to do that, she tested you in a way that proves your conviction to HER satisfaction."

Hermione squints at Holly in confusion. "And... that's important because...?"

"Because I love her. And I love you. And the only way that's going to work is if we can get you to love her."

"But I'm not a lesbian!"

"Didn't say anything about sex, Hermione. We're going to be sharing our memories and expertise, which requires understanding. The first step here is for you to accept that, in this area, Natalia is the expert."

"Well, I don't think I understand this at all!"

"Perfect. Meet me in our 7th floor 'training room' at 5:00 tomorrow morning- I'll reintroduce you to my other aspect, we'll have sex and collect samples after. Then we'll reconnect down in the Chamber after lunch and I'll give you the Mark. I'll need the few hours' break to prepare."

"Did you have to wait with Natalia?"

"No. I had everything ready then because I knew what I was going to do. I only just agreed to do this, so I need some prep time. Also, I need to make sure that we're not interrupted. Unlike the Madhouse, the Chamber isn't under the Fidelius. I want to check the warding after I get the ritual circle scribed, to see if I need to plug any leaks."

"I can help--"

"No! Just... trust me. This is the way I want to run this. Either take my word for it or forget the whole thing."

"Okay."

Holly shifts off the table and draws her confused friend into a hug.

"Hermione, everything you said made sense, and yet I'm still not entirely sure. I won't renege on my promise, though. If you still want the Mark by tomorrow afternoon, then that's what will happen. I... need to check on a few things first. With Natalia."

The witches lean back in their embrace to face each other. Hermione says, "You really love her."

"I love you both. If either of you puts me in a position of having to choose between you after all this... well I doubt any of us will live much longer."

"Why is that?"

Holly's grip around Hermione's waist tenses noticeably, and she locks her gaze on Hermione's brown eyes.

"Because I'll kill both of you in a fit of rage, and then take my own life for being so stupid as to let you convince me that this would work."

Holly reaches up and kisses Hermione's lips before disengaging her hold and turning to leave.

_**

* * *

Recognising Choices when Made; 20th December, evening**_

Holly stands, somewhat distracted, as Padma unwraps the gold chain of the Time Turner from around her neck. They enter the Room of Requirement, currently masquerading as the Restricted Section of the Library. Holly delves into the stacks while Padma unpacks her bookbag. Soon, numerous books and scrolls litter the nearby worktable, mostly containing Padma's recent research.

"Padma, can we move the second Turning tomorrow morning down to the Chamber? I need to use the Room for Hermione. In fact, I'd like it if you could lurk in the Chamber for the day."

Padma considers the idea briefly. "Ah! You have finally chosen to grant her the Mark. But why then would you wish to use the Room? Certainly the Chamber is the more stable space for rituals."

"It is and that's where we'll do it but I need to fulfill a promise, first." Holly squints at Padma with suspicion. "Hang on. You've been working on this already?"

Padma shuffles through another stack of scrolls until she finds the collection of interest, placing them to face Holly. "Of course. I have some enhancements, really just cleaner rune arrangements for your ritual circle. Do you intend to trade the same qualities with Hermione as you did for Natalia?"

Holly begins reviewing the graceful script on the top page. "Almost. Wait. Why would you expect me to do this?"

"Holly, you may not have intended to use it ever again when you first conceived of the Spiral Mark, but surely since then you have come to realise the value of its use in your greater purposes."

"So I am to fully embrace my Dark Ladyship, is that the idea?"

Padma stares at Holly in confusion. "Yes. After you had cheated in the contest and slain a dragon for profit, I assumed that you had already resolved yourself to that conclusion."

"Yeah, but it's getting real. Saying 'I'll be an evil bitch so I can worm my way into the underworld' sounds great on paper, but it's another thing entirely when you're faced with a crime you have to commit to fulfill the plan. Even moreso when it's a crime against those you care for."

"What crime? You will be applying a ritual to your voluntary followers in order to protect them and your secrets."

"Follower-_s_? You think I'm going to make a habit of this?"

"Holly, you have stumbled upon a remarkable achievement in vital magic and can leverage the Spiral to build a cadre of absolutely loyal and capable followers. I think you are imbuing too much of a personal bond into this procedure. You do not _have_ to make love to empower your Mark. I am sure it makes the experience memorable, but it is hardly necessary."

"Really? What else have you uncovered?"

Padma's eyes light up and she invites Holly to sit next to her, sliding out another collection of scrolls for review.

"So much! In some ways, I am anticipating Hermione's Marking even more than she is, for I believe our cooperative analysis may allow us to develop this into a new paradigm in the realm of institutional authority!"

Holly watches Padma's enthusiastic nodding with a pained look. "Me too. I'm fair to certain I might get both of you to say this sort of thing in a way I can appreciate, beyond the hopping up and down."

_**

* * *

Just Harry; 21st December, early morning.**_

Hermione arrives in front of the door to the Room of Requirement, only this time it appears as an oval parlour door, cross-stitched in deep plum satin. Hermione turns the brushed-brass handle and enters. The room beyond is barely lit by candles in wall sconces. Dark-tinted gossamer scarves are strewn from the ceiling, creating a small maze of fabric while further reducing visibility. The air is a bit thick with the scent of flowery incense.

Hermione shuffles forward through the curtains until she comes upon a warm hearthfire with a long couch in front of it, beyond which she can now see an extra-wide posted bed, partly obscured by more curtains. Reeling from the warmth, Hermione removes her work robe and sets it on an ottoman. Beneath she is wearing her normal schoolday wear- white blouse and grey woolen skirt. Hermione removes her House tie and loosens the top buttons on the blouse to relieve her from the stifling heat.

"H-Harry? Are you in here?"

Harry silently steps up behind Hermione, sliding his hands around her waist in a loose embrace that nonetheless startles the witch. Hermione gives a 'Yelp!'

"It's me. Good thing, too. It certainly would be embarrassing if it were somebody else in here."

Hermione twists in Harry's hold and hugs him in relief. "You gave me such a scare. Why'd you do that?"

Harry stares into Hermione's eyes. "Reckon that you're already jumpy. I might as well help you past that."

Hermione returns Harry's long gaze, a quiet 'coo' escaping her lips as she lets herself get lost in the firelight's reflection.

So as not to ruin Hermione's moment, Harry whispers. "Do you remember the first time we met?"

Hermione whispers back, "Do you mean on the train, or on Animagus Day?"

"No, I mean when you first met me as Harry for a conversation, at the Three Broomsticks. You were having such an awful day and I saw you there and knew you were the answer to my prayers at that moment. I missed you so much, and I needed your help, and I wanted to console you in your sorrow over Buckbeak."

Hermione smiles with a saucy turn at the corners of her lips. "I remember that day fondly- usually at night, behind my bedcurtains. As I recall, you were up to quite a bit of mischief..."

Harry returns Hermione's warm smile. "For very good causes! Anyway, that's the day I remembered while I was getting this room ready. The mystery, the sense of danger... I wanted so badly to kiss you then, to let you know that things weren't as bad as they seemed, and that I was going to do everything in my power to make them better for you."

"Oh, Harry..." Hermione leans in and kisses Harry on the lips. Their kiss starts simple and tender but grows more insistent and erotic the longer it continues. They break briefly to catch their breaths but immediately rejoin the snog. Hermione runs her fingers through Harry's hair. He moans slightly in enjoyment and then slips his hands from Hermione's waist to grasp at her bum. Her breath catches and Harry shifts his kissing to nibble along her jawline and lick the sensitive spot behind Hermione's left ear.

Hermione gasps and leans back to look for Harry's expression. His halted advance of covering her neck with kisses has left a needful look on his face and Hermione catches her breath again, this time accompanied by one hand reaching to touch his lips. Harry kisses the fingertips and then turns his gaze back into Hermione's eyes.

"Do you want this? Do you want me to do this?"

"Y-yes. Yes, I want you to do this. Somehow I imagined it would take me some time to ease into the mood. What happened?"

"Well, this may be a bit confusing, but I'm just Harry right now."

"What do you mean?"

"I-I'm... I'm just Harry. There's no Holly at the moment. Or more like Holly is asleep right now. Get it?"

"No. Are you trying to say that Holly and Harry are two different personalities?"

"Not quite. Ehmm... most of the time, Harry is Harry and Holly, while Holly is Holly and Harry, but every once in a while, when I feel... safe, Harry is just Harry." Harry shakes his head. "This is... ahh... probably not the best time to go over this."

"No, it's fine. I think I understand now. And the reason I'm having no problem expressing my affection for you is that the part of you I've been Compelled to avoid isn't active. Is that it?"

"Something like that. I feel like I've been lying to you about this, but it really isn't that cut and dried. Are you... do you still want to make love with me? Even though I'm not... all that I usually am?"

Hermione looks into Harry's eyes for several moments, considering the situation. Harry is becoming quite nervous from the silent scrutiny by the time Hermione answers. "Yes. I want you, Harry, to make love to me."

"Are you sure?"

Hermione grips the plackets of her blouse in both hands and rips them apart, sending buttons flying and exposing her unfettered breasts to the warm air.

"I'm sure."

Harry grins and reaches forward, drawing Hermione into a kiss with one hand while cupping her breast in the other. His thumb flicks over her nipple, interrupting their snog for just a moment so Hermione can catch her breath. Harry gently kneads her soft breast, encouraging her rising passion.

Hermione gasps and then breaks their embrace, twirling away from Harry in a dance of delight. Harry's arm gets caught between her half-removed blouse and her back, impelling him to stumble forward or end up with his arm bent backward. After a brief laugh they disentangle themselves. Hermione ends up with her blouse trailing out the back of her skirt with Harry staring at her chest, watching as her giggles make her breasts bounce in a delightful fashion.

"Harry! Surely you've seen your share of uncovered breasts by now."

"Yes, but I never get tired of watching them in motion. Particularly yours." Harry smiles and starts disrobing, prompting Hermione to finish removing her ruined blouse and pull off her nylons from beneath her skirt. She looks up to see that Harry is down to a pair of black silk boxers.

"Umm, Harry. Shouldn't I... take care of the last layer?"

Harry looks up from tossing a sock onto his pile of discarded clothes and shrugs. "Sure. That'd be great."

Hermione grins and steps forward into Harry's arms, kissing him seductively for a moment before sliding her hands down his torso to hook her fingers in the silk-covered elastic at his hips. She pushes the fabric downward but soon realises that her kisses have created... an obstruction. With a smile and a peck on his lips, she steps out of the embrace and sets to kneel down next to Harry's bold stance.

Hermione's eyes widen as she takes a closer look at the tented silk posed only a few inches in front of her face. She once again takes hold of Harry's waistband and carefully stretches it out and around his erection, distracted for a moment by Harry's plaintive grunt of appreciation. She looks back in time for the boxers to snap over his cock tip, causing the todger to swing forward and smack her lightly in the eye.

"Ow! Harry!"

"Hey, you're driving down there- it's not like a finger or anything."

Hermione rubs her eye briefly, hoping the small drop of fluid that caught in her eye will stop burning soon. Using her good eye, she takes a long look at Harry's equipment, her warm breath causing his manhood to twitch and rise a bit further. Hermione reaches up to wrap her fingers around the tip. She feels the softness and warmth of the flesh in her grasp, and becomes fascinated by it. A brief pull downward and she releases the rampant meat, watching it bounce up in reaction.

"Uhh, Hermione?"

"It's so hard when turgid, but shrinks to nothing when flaccid. Am I right?"

Hermione looks up to see a very distressed expression on Harry's face and notices that his 'unit' seems to be dipping downward a bit.

"Just a recommendation, Hermione. No bloke appreciates either of those terms, no matter how accurate they may be."

"Oh." Hermione grimaces apologetically and then looks back at Harry's manhood. A thought occurs to her and she licks her lips in consideration. Just that act is enough to inspire Harry's renewed vigor, and Hermione licks her lips again watching the rod rise once more.

"Are you thinking of tasting it?"

Hermione nods slowly, reaching her lips forward tentatively and extending her tongue to quickly lap the underside of his cockhead. Harry seethes and the penis jumps in delight.

"Hmm. I see this as more for your enjoyment than mine."

Harry groans. "Well, I would never insist upon you trying it but if you don't intend to continue, perhaps you'd like to come up here so I can move things along..."

Hermione snaps herself out of a reverie and stands quickly, turning to face Harry with a guilty look. "I didn't mean to tease..."

"And yet you did, anyway." Harry smiles and then slides his hands around Hermione's face, drawing her into a deep and passionate snog. Hermione enjoins in the kissing, and Harry quickly divests her of her skirt and white panties, their kisses never really disrupted for the split attention. Harry slides his hands around Hermione's bum and across the sensitive flesh between her hips, guiding her backwards until she finds herself suddenly sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Oh! That's frightfully convenient."

"Yes, I was thinking ahead." Harry drops to his knees in front of Hermione's waist and begins kissing up from her knees, stroking her thighs to encourage the witch into spreading her legs further apart. Hermione's gasps of appreciation come louder when Harry moves his caressing fingers through Hermione's downy mound to part her wet nether lips.

Harry dives forward, giving the witch's privates a very long and appreciative kiss. Hermione cries out in enjoyment. For a half hour.

Eventually Hermione is able to form a meaningful sentence. "H-Harry... if ever I (Gasp!)... if ever I would be ready, now is (Hahh! Hahh! Hahh!)... now is the time."

"Alright." Harry stands up and places his warm manhood at Hermione's entrance, the slickness leading his cock to slip in the half-inch up to her maidenhead. Hermione gasps again and nods nervously in encouragement. Harry gently pushes forward, stopping briefly in seeing Hermione bite her lip in pain. "Are you...?"

"Just keep going, Harry."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I believe it's a necessary part of the process."

"Doesn't mean I'm happy about it!"

"Taking my virginity makes you sad?"

"I'm just..."

"WILL YOU GET ON WITH IT?"

"Fine!" Startled, Harry slams his member forward, breaking through Hermione's innocence and burying himself to the hilt.

"AAIIGH!"

"Sorry!" Immediately he seizes up, worried for the damage done and pulls back out halfway. Hermione's held breath breaks for a second painful cry.

"Aigh! Harry, don't move!"

"I'm sorry!" Harry then pushes himself back in, to restore his position over the previous mistake.

"Aigghhh! Haarrryyyy! What part of 'don't move' did you think meant 'shove in'?"

"Sorry! I'll just pull--"

"NO! Just... stop."

Both teens pointedly stare away from each other while breathing heavily- Hermione to bear through the pain and Harry over his anxiety mixed with still being turned on. A minute passes, and then Harry mumbles "H'mine?"

"What?"

"Either we keep going or we'll have to start over again later- I'm starting to lose the mood."

"Al-alright. Slowly, please."

Hermione looks up and locks her eyes with Harry, relaxing from seeing his sympathetic expression. She nods in encouragement.

Harry carefully pulls partway out of Hermione and rocks his pelvis to drive back in. His excitement begins to return and after a few strokes, Hermione's breath and lubrication are both flowing in complement to his motion. Hermione catches her breath when Harry's thrusts begin to tap against her cervix- the sensation of complete fullness spins her head into a mild delirium.

Harry's breath comes faster and more ragged, accompanied by an increase in the speed of his thrusting. Hermione moans in answer, adding a desperately-whispered 'fassster!' that spurs him into a skin-slapping piston motion. Hermione's breaths come louder, sounding more like cries as the engine of their lovemaking brings them both to ear-rushing blood-boiling passion. Without warning, Harry pounds into Hermione's pelvis five times, ending by grasping tight to her hips and dragging her up to meet his last thrust. Hermione feels the increase in volume within her rubbed-delicate tunnel and whines in frustration as she feels so close... so close...

Harry slumps over Hermione, his orgasm robbing his legs of muscular control. His head lands heavily on Hermione's chest, knocking the wind out of her lungs and shocking her away from her imminent moment of ecstasy. Catching her breath, she reaches up to cuddle Harry's head to her chest. She barely hears him mumble from between her breasts.

"Clmp dwn."

"What was that, Harry?"

"Clamp down. I'm still partly hard. You can massage yourself to a climax."

Hermione thinks for a moment and then shifts her legs to wrap around Harry's bum. Concentrating on the feeling of fullness in her core, she twitches and clenches several different muscles until she gasps slightly.

"Yup, that's it. I can feel you. Do it again."

Hermione concentrates again; within moments she is panting and grunting, her muscles gripping Harry's slowly-recovering erection. Harry aids in her quest by reaching out the hot tip of his tongue to flick against Hermione's nipple. He takes the hardened flesh in his lips, gnawing it gently to aid in Hermione's arousal. She holds his head to her breast, obviously pleased with his help. Very soon, Harry feels and hears Hermione find her satisfaction.

"Hhhhnnnnnooohhhh! (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) Yyeeeessss! (Gasp!)... (Gasp!)... (Hahh!)... Uhhhnn..."

Hermione then sinks into a brief slumber, floating in contentment.

Feeling her relax around him, Harry smiles up at Hermione's deep breathing and slowly extricates himself from Hermione's hold. He teases her in a whisper. "Falling asleep? Cheater. I thought that was my job."

_**~o~**_

Hermione rouses to a warm bed with a warm, naked, male body wrapped around her from behind. Harry's hands cup her breasts loosely in a very enjoyable way. Hermione almost giggles with delight.

Feeling her awakening, Harry draws Hermione tighter into his embrace, kisses the back of her neck and releases his hug. The witch turns around in the bed to face him, taking a moment to wrestle the bulk of her bushy locks out of the way for an unobstructed view.

"I could get used to this."

"Maybe in another world, or when the future doesn't look quite so grim."

Hermione sighs and nods in acknowledgement. "Should we see about collecting the Humours?"

"Already done, Hermione. I cleaned up and collected samples while you were recovering. As soon as you are feeling up to it, I suggest you retire to the dorm, take a long, hot shower and give yourself some time to heal."

"Harry. Harry, I lov--"

With a squint, Harry transforms into Holly. "Don't! ...say it. Everyone says it but few actually mean it, and I'm not Harry." The short witch then turns away, rising from the bed and wrapping her work robe around her body. She retrieves her rucksack from a hook at the foot of the bed and navigates through the web of curtains to the door.

"Holly, I..."

Holly stops with her hand on the latch, responding without turning back to face Hermione. "What?"

"Umm... thank you. I guess."

Holly winces and whispers, "Anytime." The door closes quietly behind her.

_**

* * *

Padma and Her Bleedin' Maths; 21st December, morning (2nd pass)**_

Holly meets Padma in Myrtle's loo, carrying a small pail filled with assorted bottles. Padma is struggling with a stack of tomes. They gather close to allow Holly to wrap Padma's Turner chain around them and spin back. Padma nearly faints to the floor with her stack of books when the Turning completes. Holly opens the entry, they switch burdens and descend. Holly hefts the books with ease, earning a jealous look from the Hindi girl. Holly leads them through the bone lounge, down the hallway to the serpent's door. Once through, they adjourn to one of four antechambers, this one set up as a study. Holly drops the stack of books on the large reading table.

"Padma, do you have a draft ready for the revised ritual?"

"Yes, Holly. I am... surprised how little revision was necessary. Are you certain that your mother only granted you her protection?"

Padma sits down at the table, looking back up at Holly as she retrieves a mortar and pestle set from a shelf full of potion-prep tools, placing it next to her pail-full of ingredients.

"What makes you ask?"

"Your understanding of the vital humours and their use in this invocation would've strained the capabilities of Professor Vector to construct. Yet you had never studied Arithmancy when you put this together."

Holly starts arranging bottles from her pail while giving Padma an indignant look. "I did so; I just didn't openly attend class until this year. That said, much of the groundwork was already there in Lily's research on blood magic. As to how much Lily is part of Holly, I have no idea. Do you have some notion on how to measure that?"

"No, but I suspect that there is more Lily than Harry in Holly."

Holly stops and stands quietly, eyebrows creased in concentration for several moments. She then turns up her face and glares at Padma in irritation.

"One; I think you've been spending too much time with Luna. Two; I've thought through that statement four times now and I still don't know what you mean by it. Three; what difference does it make to all the other insanity that we're up to today?"

"To answer: one; Luna cannot be found when she does not wish to be, so I only spend time with her when she wishes to do so. Two; I merely meant to suggest that Lily's ritual- YOUR ritual, enabled you to reset the clock on your life using your son's body. Three; it is relevant in that your personality has been dominating the relationship you have with Natalia, just as it has dominated your son's mind. Integrating Hermione into the group mind may unbalance the mix, permitting her stronger individual personality to exert a greater influence over the whole."

Holly paces about for a bit, shaking her head, then sits down on the table next to Padma's collection of scrolls. "Alright, I accept the theory that Holly is Lily... 'rebooted', but I still insist for my own sanity that I can't consider myself to BE my mother. Don't address me like I'm Lily- it'll just annoy me, and there's enough of that happening already. Now, what's this group mind business? I didn't change appreciably after Natalia was Marked aside from how she was training me, and I only hear her when we Rapport."

Padma tilts her head up to address Holly directly. "I cannot speak to how you felt following your re-humanization, but it seems to me that Natalia's morals about sexuality have become your own."

"And spending a year with her, happily exploring our bodies like Legos, isn't enough of a reason for that to happen naturally?"

"I am simply making derivations from your notes on the bonds you used in her Marking. No other aspect of her personality should have bled through, given the bonds you chose to establish. In most every other way, her personality has adapted to your influence- also as the Arithmancy predicts. Now you intend to weave Hermione's personality with yours and have selected bonds that should draw more of her traits in to you than push your traits out to her. I have only the most tentative of theories to explain what I expect for the result, but it gives me pause."

"So you think I should change the bonds?"

"Only one is easily identifiable as a critical factor. Do not reverse the Bond of Sacrifice. You will need your own tears, of course. Hermione's can be left aside."

Holly looks down at her hands, acting a bit like a truant child who has been caught. "Well what if... what if I want her to have more influence?"

"Holly, I say this with all respect for the girl- she is not ready. You lead because you know what horrors await us if we fail. I would not follow her. Hermione lacks the necessary perspective."

Holly sheds a tear prompting Padma to hand her an unused ceramic cup. Holly smiles wryly and then reaches down to gather Padma's face into an unexpected kiss on the lips. Padma's eyes widen in shock but she enjoins the kiss once she accepts the non-sexual intent.

Holly pulls back out of the kiss and smiles at Padma again. "There are times when I think you're sticking around just to make fun of me, but then you turn around and... just thank you, Padma. Thank you." Holly takes the small cup and gathers some of her tears into it, preserving them with a silent Stasis charm.

Padma watches the process with interest, though her face softens in sympathy when Holly finishes collecting her tears. She smiles just slightly. "You seem unusually emotional today. Has your descent into darkness upset you somehow? Perhaps if you were to deflower another virgin, you might feel better."

Holly answers the dry-witted teasing with a sobbing laugh.

Padma smiles prettily as she returns to her calculations. "Sadly, I cannot aid you in this instance. However, I believe Luna--"

"Finish that thought and you'll be Obliviated back into nappies."

Padma shrugs in amusement. Holly shakes her head with a smile, alights from the table and returns to her ink-making.

_**

* * *

Ritual Interruptus; 1:00 PM**_

Holly ascends the stone staircase up into Myrtle's loo to find Hermione standing there as expected. What is less typical is the mild expression of shock on Hermione's face when Holly steps up from the staircase to greet her.

"Something wrong, Hermione?"

"Uhh, no. No, I just... have a great deal on my mind today. As you might expect."

Holly gives her another skeptical look and then turns back down the stairs. "Yeah, I suppose. Come on, then."

Hermione follows Holly down the staircase carefully, almost nervous to touch the wall surrounding the passageway for its accumulated slime. They continue through to the Chamber without speaking, their footsteps echoing in the damp cavern.

Eventually they enter an antechamber; a square room lit by torches in wall sconces shaped like coiled snakes, small versions of the ones in the main Chamber. This room has been set up as a ritual space, with a base protection circle etched into the raised flagstone dais in the center of the floor. A long worktable with two heavy wooden chairs and a partially-filled bookcase are set against the wall opposite the entrance door, and Holly has conjured up an overstuffed dark blue futon in the center of the protection circle. Hermione takes all this in while standing at the entry.

Holly notices her doubtful-seeming scrutiny of the space as she gathers a collection of candles to place around the outside of the circle. "Oh, I know it's not much in the way of comfort, but a few Warming charms should make this workable. How are you feeling?"

"Alright, I guess. A little sore still..."

"But you still want to go through with this?"

"Yes, just... tell me again, what will it feel like?"

"Natalia had a decent time with the process, though she's a poor barometer for how much pleasure there is in pain, especially if she's running hot. Afterwards, I imagine you'll feel a little giddy. We ended up in a tickle fight."

Holly notes Hermione's continued look of concern and walks over to stand in front of her friend. She gazes up into her brown eyes and grasps both her shoulders. "Hermione, you don't need to do this. The bonds will have an effect on you that you may not appreciate. We'll definitely feel closer, but I fear for--"

"No, I want this." Hermione's gaze into Holly's eyes recalls her eye-swirling madness of days past. "I want to join you. I want to join... with you."

Hermione's eyes flutter to a half-lidded yearning and she leans down to kiss Holly. The red-haired witch tables her initial surprise to enjoin the snog, and they both step into a strong embrace. The kiss continues with a dancing rhythm of tongue-fencing, both girls moaning and gasping occasionally as their ardour gains momentum.

Holly finishes the kiss with a gasp and looks up at Hermione with a happy smile. "Nice! Well lover, I'd say I'm convinced! Get yourself comfortable. I'll be back in a tic with the ink."

Hermione smiles back and nods silently, moving to the worktable and pulling off her outer robe. Holly exits, closing the door behind her. Hermione turns to look back over her shoulder and then continues to remove clothing until she's only wearing a pale lavender bra and matching knickers. Looking around the room tentatively, she comes to a decision, removing those last pieces of modesty as well. The witch then takes a position next to the door, biting her bottom lip in anticipation of Holly's return.

Holly enters through the door carrying a tray with multiple ceramic cups, sand in a bowl, a glass of water and three small potion bottles. Hermione holds back pouncing on the witch but still startles Holly. The subsequent unbalancing of the tray sends both girls to fumble with it, hoping to prevent a full-on accident. A frightening ten seconds later, they stabilise the tray and its contents between their four hands and lock anxious gazes. Both girls then burst out laughing.

"Naked as well, Hermione! If you're not careful, people might get the impression you like me more than just in a friendly way." Holly takes the tray and places it down next to the futon. When she stands up again, Hermione is there with a smouldering look.

"I'd say we're friendly..." Hermione steps forward and engages Holly in another well-received kiss.

They break the snog and Holly slaps Hermione lightly on the hip. "Right. Let's get this thing going." Holly gestures for Hermione to lay down on the futon and begins to light the candles.

Hermione sits down on the comfortable mattress, keeping a close eye on Holly's every movement. She gasps slightly when Holly doffs her work robe to reveal her own naked body. Holly pulls off her trainers and then draws her wand from seemingly nowhere to apply another few warming charms to the dais.

Finishing the preparations, Holly enters the circle. She gestures for Hermione to lay down on her front and the eager witch complies quickly. "I am going to do this gently, my love, but I have to ask you a question first. _I want to give you something; a token of my love for you. Will you accept my love and my protection? Will you take my Mark upon your flesh, so that you will always know that I love you_?"

Hermione starts suddenly, recognising that words of power are being spoken. She gulps and then responds.

"Y-yes. _Yes I will_."

Holly bends down and whispers directly into her ear, while caressing her back along her spine.

"Are you sure, Pansy?"

"Yes I'm... OH FUCK!"

"_Rigor Tergum._"

Paralysis quickly enwraps 'Hermione' until she is frozen in a protracted position with her arms splayed out to the sides, her face now locked in an expression of complete surprise. Her eyes are still free to move, and they are darting about wildly in fear.

"So, here's my conundrum, Pansy. I have what I need to make you mine, but I don't know if I want you. You aren't yourself right now, so I'm not convinced the ritual would work right anyways. But if it did, you'd be the perfect mole for the return of the Dark Lord, and you'd have very little to say about it. On the other hand I'm about two seconds away from snapping your spine for your continued interference in my life. You should be happy to know that I've been having a weird day already, which is why anger wasn't the theme to follow this time. It has probably saved your life. So far."

Holly bends down to look directly into Pansy-Hermione's eyes. She touches her wand to the frozen girl's forehead and whispers '_Legilimens_'.

Pansy feels her defenses broken through as if she were struck by a charging bull. Memories shift into her mental view much quicker than she normally experiences them, until a recent scene takes the fore.

_**~o~**_

* * *

_Pansy is following Hermione Granger as she stiffly climbs the stairs to the second floor corridor and down several hallways to the girls' loo, the same haunted lavatory that was a hub of activity two years prior. She sees Hermione look down into her hands discreetly and then turn to look back at the last juncture of hallways where Pansy is hiding behind a statue._

_"Pansy?"_

_A wave of frustration passes through her and she steps out into view._

_"Hermione. I saw you climbing those steps quite painfully, so I decided to follow you. Are you injured?"_

_Pansy notes the deep blush crossing Hermione's face, exulting with a rush of happiness and intrigue without reflecting it in her expression._

_Hermione clears her throat after nervously shifting her stance several times. "Oh. Uhh, no. Not really. I may have... strained myself earlier but I'm sure I'll be fine by tomorrow."_

_The dark-haired witch smirks and slinks forward, giving Hermione a teasing look. "Of course you will. I imagine this is a... one-time pain. Tell me, did the Boy-Who-Lived claim your virtue, or is it perhaps the visiting celebrity Mr. Krum--"_

_"Pansy! Don't you think that's more than a little rude?"_

_Having caught up with the Gryffindor, Pansy takes her arm and leads both of them into the loo in a companionable manner. "No one else is around, as I'm sure your Sneak-o-scope or whatever has told you." Pansy seals the door behind them and slips into an imploring look. "Please, Hermione? I get so little gossip in my current situation. Can't you dish just a little?"_

_Hermione bites her bottom lip coyly and then turns to face Pansy with an eager look. The second their eyes meet, Pansy thinks strongly _'Legilimens' _and enters Hermione's perception. _

_Immediately she catches some strangely obscured talk about a ritual of membership into some sort of coven, followed by a second, potently erotic memory of having sex with Harry Potter, then seeing him __become__ Holly Evans. _

_Pansy quickly recedes out of Hermione's mind and hits her with an '_Obliviate'_ just as the witch's indignant look begins to turn furious._

_"You will forget that Pansy met with you at all today, instead believing that your earlier exertions caused you to faint here in the lavatory. _Stupefy_**.**__"_

_Pansy's mind accelerates, thoughts of learning more of Holly's secrets bringing a rush of hope and wonder. She immediately digs into an inner pocket of her robes and pulls out a familiar flask, one recently used by the faux Alastor Moody. Pansy yanks a few curly hairs from Hermione's head, adding them to the container and applying a heating charm with her rowan wand._

_**~o~**_

* * *

Holly pulls out of Pansy's mind and blinks several times. Her eyes catch a feral glint in the torchlight. "Once more, I hold your life in my hands. Given the House vows, I now hold your magic in my power as well. How does that feel, Parkinson?"

The real Hermione enters the room. "Holly, Padma let me in when Myrtle told her I was waiting, but she said something about me already being here-- WHAT in God's name IS THIS?" Her look of shock quickly matches that of her naked and paralysed doppelganger.

Holly continues glaring at Pansy-Hermione but replies to the original's question. "Well, this is a dress rehearsal of me giving you the Spiral, initiated when Pansy came onto me using Polyjuice to appear as you."

"H-how did you know it wasn't me?"

"Let me reiterate: 'she came onto me'."

"And what do you intend to do with her?"

Holly sits back on her heels, giving Hermione a somewhat challenging look.

"As much as I can, as often as I can."

The frozen 'Hermione' begins to shed tears, despite her condition.

Hermione protests, stepping forward to focus on Holly's face rather than be distracted by her nudity. "You mustn't!"

Holly moves her hands to her hips in a grump but remains kneeling in front of her captive.

"Okay, Hermione. You can make the call. Here are the choices: she gets Marked; we use Legilimency to uncover exactly what she knows that we don't want her to know and then Obliviate her of the knowledge; we Obliviate her of everything since the World Cup and conk her on the head to explain the memory loss; we kill her and dump the body with the Acromantulas; or we just ask her to promise not to use anything that she's learned so far against us. That last one worked out_ so _well for you before- I think it's my favorite."

Hermione glares at Holly for her sarcasm. "Those aren't the only options. We could have her vow to keep the secrets."

"Which ones?"

"All of them; about you, about... us and this place and... and..."

"Getting complicated, isn't it?"

"Why are you being so mean about this?"

Holly jumps to her feet, distracting Hermione for a moment by the agile, bouncing movement of her naked form. The short witch's rant quickly recaptures Hermione's attention.

"I'm being mean? This is the REAL DEAL, Hermione. Our lives hang on the choice you're about to make! What she knows about this could ruin both of our lives and see us put into Azkaban. Never mind the Dark Lord, everything we know will be destroyed including our own will to live! Are you beginning to see THE PROBLEM?"

"L-let's ask Pansy."

Holly scoffs. "Oh, Good God, why?"

"I'd like to know what she'd prefer." Hermione tilts her head back in a superior stance.

"Lovely. I'll just be in the other room making sure this is the only rodent we let in. You can unbind her and hopefully you'll both still be alive and here when I get back."

Holly steps out of the circle and grabs her work robe from the floor, wrapping it around her body. She then walks past Hermione without a second glance and leaves the room.

Hermione watches her departure with a rising anxiety. She jumps at the sound of the door slamming shut.

The thoughtful girl turns back to face her frozen duplicate, pacing a few circuits of the room before coming to a decision. Hermione squats down in front of Pansy and looks into the tearful eyes that stare back from her own face.

"I'm going to release you now. We're going to talk. I need you to be honest or you'll end up dead, do you understand?"

Pansy can only aim her eyes downward once in response. Hermione cancels the effect of Holly's skin-locking spell and Pansy-as-Hermione collapses into the futon. She immediately bawls in fear and shame, curling up on the mattress and holding her head in her unfamiliar hands.

"Huhhhhhahhh! Is... (sniff)... is she really... (sniff)... would she really...?"

"Kill you? Oh, most certainly, Pansy. I'm not sure why you'd even wonder about that. At the moment I'm trying to determine if she'll kill me if I make the wrong choice with you."

Hermione sits down cross-legged facing the crying girl that looks exactly like her, resting her chin on her hand in a grumpy contemplation. Pansy pouts out a sobbing protest.

"You don't get to decide my fate, Granger!"

"It's really funny to see me say that- like I'm watching a movie where I'm talking to myself, or perhaps that Twilight Zone tale about the better version of me. Of course, I'd be the better version between us..."

Pansy calms her tears and tries to rise from the mattress unsuccessfully. "My legs are still numb."

"That's on purpose. It's really rather peculiar to see myself naked and crying on a mattress as well. God! This magical life is sometimes just so odd..."

Pansy's histrionics subside and she looks at the disgruntled Gryffindor. Pansy lifts her body up a little, exposing more of her unclothed skin to the other witch by propping up on her elbow.

"Would you... want to kiss me, looking like you?"

"Psh! Don't be MORE bizarre, Pansy. I'm having a difficult enough time concentrating on this as it is. What would you do in my place?"

Pansy slouches a little and considers the query for a moment. "Bind you. No question. A live thrall in the camp of my enemies is like winning the platinum sweeps. I can't even fathom why you're stuck on the decision."

"Clearly because I am not you... And yet again I'm having a moment of discord in the mode of this conversation!"

"Close your eyes if you can't keep your mind on topic! Merlin's sake, Granger! How stupid could a smart person be?"

"What do you want, Pansy? If you had the choice of any circumstance, what would you prefer?"

"I... I..."

Holly's voice echoes from the doorway, startling both Hermiones.

"She wants to not live in fear, anymore. She wants to belong, and feel protected. Pansy used to feel like that while in the Slytherin dorms until she reached too far. Then all her alliances fell apart in the face of Flint and his rape-gang. Their male sexual aggression was released from its societal constraints specifically for her... Punishment."

Pansy flinches at the word 'punishment' but tries to cover for it with a sarcastic moan. "Oh please don't wax political for my sake--"

"I wonder just how much Professor Snape likes you, Hermione, for him to take out his anger on Pansy so viciously."

"Professor Snape doesn't 'like' me, Holly. He just wasn't thinking through the consequences of his orders for Pansy's punishment."

"Riiight. Pansy, what's your take on that?"

"I had no idea Professor Snape had a thing for Granger, but hearing you say it explains so much about this." Pansy-Hermione turns to sneer at the original version. "It's your bloody fault I was abused. If I had targeted Patil it would have been a detention."

Holly responds, "If you had pulled that on Parvati she would be dead and you'd be in Azkaban. Nonetheless your point is valid."

Hermione protests, "It is not! Professor Snape doesn't have a 'thing' for me!"

"Well you should schedule some private tutoring with him to test that theory. Pansy and I will be ready to collect on any wager you wish to make on the outcome."

"So you're best friends with Pansy now? Wait. You think we _should_ Mark her."

"I think she wants to be Marked more than you do."

Pansy spits, "Fuck you, Evans."

"We'll get to that," Holly answers, and then turns towards Hermione. "As to my relationship with Miss Parkinson, she and I have been working together in secret since the first of term. It was a practical partnering that neither of us mistook for friendship. At this point I think Pansy was hoping to gain some leverage on me to help restore her status within the House, but obviously things went pear-shaped on her plan."

Hermione sits back, looking first at Holly leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed and then at Pansy-Hermione's pathetic expression of hopelessness.

"Pansy, what would you have me do?"

"Obliviate me. Make me forget everything since our horrible potions battle. I want to go back to when it all made sense."

Holly interjects, "That time never existed. You thought you were protected and now you know you weren't. Even if we did Obliviate you that much, our Housemates would quickly bring you up to speed on your loss of status."

"Then kill me."

Hermione throws up her hands and looks at Holly. "Right. I've made my decision."

"WHAT?"

"Oh, now you don't want to die?"

"What is with you, Granger?"

"Even I can see through that pathetic display, Pansy. 'Pity the poor girl. She's just harmless. We can let her go.' As if I could be THAT gullible! Holly- you should Mark her. She obviously has skills and cunning and can serve well in the coming conflict. It's probably the only path to take to truly redeem her, and even then I'd call it a longshot."

"Well, I'm with you in theory but it really does have to be voluntary. We'll have to convince her to go through with it. I suggest we give her a few hours in solitary to let her contemplate the possibilities."

"There's no way you can hold me here that long! People will notice I'm missing!"

Hermione stands up and shakes her head at the quickly panicking girl. "You keep forgetting, Pansy; no one likes you. I'd be the first person to notice your absence or take action on it, unless you've been nicer to Tracey lately than she's mentioned..."

Holly moves towards the door but stops as a thought occurs to her. "Oh, the other problem. Pansy, are you still a virgin?"

"Yes!"

"Yeah, sorry about this... not for much longer."

"I... NO!"

"It's part of the ritual. I just wanted you to know that to include it in your considerations. See you in a few hours. _Petrificus Totalus._"

Pansy's scream is cut off as the spell takes effect

"NAAOOOOO--!"

Hermione takes up the tray of ceramic cups from the floor and leads out through the doorway. Holly follows, closes the door and seals it with a _'Colloportus'. _The spell makes a sound like a soft rubber stopper being inserted into a flask.

(Fworp!)

Hermione sets the tray down next to the door. "I have no idea what we were just doing."

"Just what it looked like- Pansy caught us about to reveal our secrets but we caught her because she didn't understand our relationship. Now we have to handle it. What do you think we should do?"

"Ehmm, maybe we should bring Natalia and Padma in on this."

"Why?"

"So that everyone involved can voice their opinion and we can come to a consensus."

Holly re-ties the belt of her work robe more securely at her hip. "Uh, no. Hermione, what part of 'vassal' did you forget in that line of reasoning?"

"Well then why did you ask my opinion?"

"Gee, I dunno. I think you're smart most days, all current evidence to the contrary."

"You didn't used to insult me when we argued."

"You made more sense then."

Hermione looks down in contrition. "Do you think your ritual will even work in this case?"

Holly sighs and shifts to lean against the doorframe. "I don't know. Padma thinks so, but she also thinks I'm being overly sentimental by fucking my followers before binding them. I certainly can go through the motions necessary even if the emotional investment is lacking. Until I Mark you I won't know if there's a difference in the effect based upon that."

"Because... you don't... love me anymore?"

"Because I chose to Mark Natalia as a matter of necessity and a desire to protect her but I'll be Marking you in a more selfish mindset and because you convinced me to do it. It may not make a difference or it may change the bond completely. Padma's already run through four scrolls in some mad calculation about it. Perhaps later you can explain to me how she _quantifies_ affection in her formulas. Arithmancy still just breaks down for me at the practical level. 'If x equals dead and 4x equals very dead...'"

"We shouldn't just leave Pansy here until we finish our ritual. I think we can get a sample of Draught of Living Death from the twins- it was one of their early assignments this term."

"I'd rather she have the time to think. Better you should transfer our prisoner to the other side room. I'll chat with Padma about the possibilities."

_**~o~**_

_**

* * *

**_

Holly enters briskly into the study-antechamber, causing Padma to jump from her writing.

"Hermione found you, I take it?"

"Yeah, though next time you might want to provide some backup if things seem weird."

"How would I tell this sort of strangeness from any other we have been experiencing?"

Holly stops short and thinks for a moment. "Fair point. Anyway, I'm here because you said before that I didn't need to love my vassals, but that's the way I put this thing together. How would we change the process to bind someone without the love/sex part?"

"Is Hermione--?"

"Not her- Pansy Parkinson snuck in under Polyjuice, and I see an opportunity here."

Padma turns to fully face Holly with a look of concern. "Why would you want anything to do with Parkinson? She is the antithesis of everything you represent."

"No she isn't. Pansy was raised in this world just as you were, and she has already been forcefully faced with the harsh consequences of being a girl on the wrong side of the rulership. Also... I have some... feelings for her..." Holly shrugs almost guiltily.

"Holly, is this a personal neuropathy? You seem to become emotionally tied to every attractive woman you meet."

Holly scoffs. "Try again, Mrs. Freud. Pansy has been aiding me in acclimating to Slytherin House. Besides, there is a wide population of girls at Hogwarts that hate and fear me, or just have enough sense to keep their distance. Most of them, in fact. I'm only involved with the ones attracted to _me_."

"I am NOT--"

"Padma..."

"..._very _...attracted to you."

Holly's smug smile in reaction is answered by a petulant pink tongue from the Hindi witch. Holly snorts, then returns to the subject of her visit.

"So, we have the Spiral which can give positive reinforcement, we have Pansy who is only partly a person I like and the rest of the time is a privileged racist bitch, and we have to Obliviate her one way or the other."

"Yes?"

Holly shrugs. "I dunno. Work on it. I'll be with Hermione."

_**

* * *

Hermione's Wake-up Call**_

Hermione enters the ritual room once more after sealing Pansy in a different antechamber. Holly is already active within, having covered the dais with additional warming charms to ensure a relaxed environment. Holly turns and smiles at Hermione, placing a lighted stick of incense into a nearby dish of sand before rising to a stand. She removes her work robe, tossing it out of the boundary of the ritual circle which she now inspects with a specialised diagnostic spell.

Hermione stares for a moment. Holly is wearing nothing but a few rings and her glasses. Scars crisscross her torso- thin on the back and thicker across her chest and abdomen. The wound from Vernon's shotgun has healed into a small knot of pinkish flesh just above Holly's hipbone. Similar punctures remain on her right shoulder and just below her ribcage from the Basilisk's bite. Yet despite these flaws, Holly stands comfortably- sure of herself and unashamed of her appearance. It stirs something deep within Hermione that she hasn't felt for a while. Hermione gawks briefly.

Holly walks up to Hermione and kisses her lips. "You seem confused. Is something wrong?"

Hermione shakes her head a little, prompting Holly to turn towards another task. Hermione reaches out and grasps Holly's shoulder, pulling her back to face Hermione. Before Holly can say anything, Hermione dips her head and crashes her lips against Holly's, her tongue stabbing into the warm and soft entrance of Holly's mouth. The shorter witch shifts her weight and reaches her hands up to hold Hermione's face to her own, continuing the kiss with interest. Hermione snaps her head back suddenly and steps out of their embrace.

Holly gripes, "Oh, what now?"

"That's how I feel! I was just enjoying this and my own brain just slapped me."

Holly's anger fades. "Ah. Sorry- I thought it was voluntary. At least I recognised the kiss. So, are you ready?"

Hermione starts removing her clothing with quick and precise motions, dumping each article into a small pile outside the ritual circle. She turns to face Holly once equally naked. "I've been ready for a month!"

Holly smirks and removes her glasses. "Yeah, you've always been slow. Lay yourself down on the futon as comfortably as you can. We start with a brief massage, then I get into the ritual proper. When I ask you a question, answer it simply. If I tap your lips, give my finger a wet lick. Other than that, once I start scribing the Spiral you should do everything in your power not to move."

"Why?"

"'Cause the tattoo will look lopsided if you mess me up."

"Wait. Holly, I have... a request."

"What's that?"

"I want to have sex with you again, as Harry. Before we start."

"Why?"

"Um, well I think that we should make sure that not all my transformative sexual experiences are traumatic. The first time... you went overboard, the next important time we lost consciousness because of the Strange Chocolate, the time after that I died, and now I've given you my virginity and am about to devote my soul to you."

"I guess I see your point."

"You guess? Aren't you the one insisting that sex is supposed to be fun?"

"I don't even consider that an argument worth having. Sex IS fun. If it isn't, it wasn't real sex but some other activity."

"Right. So?"

The pale witch looks into Hermione's eyes with concern. "I'm not Harry and this isn't about sex. Do you still wish to be Marked?"

Hermione's look of hope shifts into one of grim determination. "Yes. I am committed. I wish to serve you, Holly."

After a few minutes of preparation, Holly sets the tray of samples and other materials close at hand. Hermione's bare body is prostrated comfortably on the futon and all the candles are lit.

Holly retrieves a small green bottle and pours out some oil onto her hands. "I'm going to desensitize the area." Holly smears the warmed lotion on to Hermione's arsecheeks. Hermione moans agreeably.

"That doesn't feel (Gasp!) ...like it's a numbing agent."

"Wait for it. Enjoy the tingle, meantime. Newt, on station."

The inky lizard appears from behind the ceramic cups and hops onto the futon, scampering to set at the base of Hermione's spine. After a few pokes of the flesh to assure the numbing salve is in effect, she scribes a plate-sized design on Hermione's lower region using her tail and foreclaws.

"Newt, switch back the poles on the bond of Sacrifice and bond of Courage and we're changing out the bond of Diligence for... what shall we call it?"

Hermione lifts up her head in a mild panic. "You're making this up as you go?"

"Bond of Comrades- my blood, her sweat. Okay?"

Newt squeaks and adjusts the ink written in a few chambers to suit Holly's changes.

"Holly!"

"I heard you. Yes, it's a bit custom, but my instincts about the effects have proven spot-on, so stop worrying. The worst result is that instead of a higher pain threshhold you'll have to bathe more often."

"You are joking, aren't you?"

"We'll find out..."

"Holly!"

"This is a moment of faith, Hermione. You're giving up trusting in God to watch over you and now have to accept that I'm taking on the responsibility. Either you believe in me or you don't. _I want to give you something; a token of my love for you. Will you accept my love and my protection? Will you take my Mark upon your flesh, so that you will always know that I love you?_"

Hermione takes a moment in intense thought. Her face then calms as she reaches a resolution.

"_I do. With love and trust._"

"_Then accept this pain as a small sacrifice to our love._"

Holly had already absorbed the specially-brewed ink into her quilltip finger and now begins scribing the sigil into Hermione's skin, following Newt's stencil.

Hermione bears through the process, her reaction at first limited to a tearful gnawing on the fabric of the futon to bear through the evident pain of Holly's tattoo-work.

_"{As your labours' sweat is shared by my blood, we invoke the bond of comrades.}"_

Hermione's whole body shivers as the fourth bond is emplaced, and she relaxes considerably.

"{_As my arousal's sweat is given to your secretions, we invoke the bond of bodies.}_"

Holly notices her friend seize up at this, a moan of frustration further distracting her before she presses onward.

"{_As your spittle consumes of my secretions, we invoke the bond of lust.}_"

Hermione's distress increases, her whole body curling in pain. Holly speeds up her process in concern.

"{_As you drink of my blood by your spittle, we invoke the bond of courage.}_"

Holly reaches between her own legs and barely pauses at the last moment lest she accidently slice into her own privates with the quilltip finger. Taking a moment's pause, she carefully gathers some of the fluid from her excitement before dipping back into the cup with Hermione's post-virginal blood and finishing the last chamber of the invocation.

"{_As my secretions give fire to your blood, we invoke the bond of passion.}_"

Holly's worry over Hermione's plaintive cries fades briefly as she lays her body over the distressed witch. One hand is pressed between their layered pelvises, resting her finger at the center of the new body art; the other slides around to hold Hermione's body against hers. Holly whispers into Hermione's ear.

"_[Loyalty unto death I consecrate with this Mark]_. Come with me."

A chorus of moaning voices rises and the flames of the candles and torches all flare brightly, matching the bright orange glow that suffuses the witches in the center of the ritual circle. Holly retains enough control to slip her hand out from between their bodies and clutches Hermione against her, riding the powerful sensations of their magic-infused climaxes. Holly feels a strange burning rise from Hermione's tattoo, hot enough to sear the flesh of her Mons that she has pressed against her friend's sacrum. It becomes the only stable point of Hermione's body, as she is wracked with a seizure so powerful she can hardly breathe. Moments later, everything stops. The torches and candles flare out, leaving them in darkness.

Over their tandem breathing, Holly can hear Hermione mumbling in anxiety.

"can't-love-girls-heresy-unholy-corruptive-rot-nasty-mustn't-touch--"

Holly makes a gesture to reignite the torches and then turns the girl around in her arms, painfully separating the burned skin stuck between them with a grunt. She grabs the hysterical witch's head and focuses her eyes on her face. One hand slinks around to touch Hermione's newly-scribed Spiral.

"Hermione, this is an order. _You will search out the Compulsions that make you want to avoid Holly or lesbian sex. You will find them and break them, along with all the self-induced memory masks you put in place in order to deal with it._ Do you understand?"

Hermione looks at Holly with a panic that borders on sheer terror, but she nods vigorously in compliance. Holly wraps herself around Hermione, embracing the witch in a protective hold while she is setting her mind to racing. Hermione's breath comes faster and deeper as the minutes pass, her expression changing from fear to horror, to anger, to despair and reverting to a simple anxiety as her breathing reaches a point of her whole body flexing and curling to move air. Finally, a whine builds in her throat that rises into a scream of "GeerrrrrrRRROOOOOOOOOFFF!"

Hermione flings herself out of Holly's hold, landing on all fours and emptying her stomach onto the stone floor. Once finished, she sobs and cries loudly, allowing Holly to once more draw her back into a protective embrace. Holly whispers repetitively, "You've done well. You're going to be alright."

Hermione eventually calms down and heaves a great sigh before turning around to face Holly. She stares into Holly's eyes for a minute, searching for something.

"Holly..."

"Yes?"

"I will serve you as you ask. I'd like some time to think."

Holly's face reverts to a mask of mild kindness. "Go on, then. Padma will walk you back to your dorm."

Hermione responds with surprising ferocity. "I don't need a minder!"

Holly stares at Hermione for a moment.

"I'm protecting my investment. She'll keep you safe and un-Stunned, since you sorta missed that earlier."

Hermione rises from the mattress and quickly dresses, though she hisses in pain when trying to latch her skirt in place. Holly first enchants a paper bird to fly under the door, then watches Hermione's progress from her position on the futon. Padma enters the room just as Hermione finishes lacing her shoes.

"Padma, can you make sure Hermione makes it back to Gryffindor unmolested and then come back? I had another idea."

"A-alright."

The two clothed witches leave. Holly leans back and inspects the skin between her hip bones. An inch above the cleft of her Mons now sports a raised burn- the six-petaled symbol of the Svadisthana forming a reversed version of the center of the Spiral. Holly prods it gently with her finger, watching her skin's accelerated healing reduce it to a branding of slightly paler white flesh.

"Newt, Hermione ran out of here too quick. Catch up with her and make sure to spin her tattoo down to coin-size, alright?"

(Squeak!)

_**~o~**_

_**

* * *

**_

Natalia meets Padma and Hermione as they exit the stairs into Myrtle's lavatory.

"I'll take her back. Hols probably could use your help, right about now."

Padma looks doubtfully between Hermione and Natalia, but turns back to the staircase when Hermione makes no indication of preference.

"Shall we?"

"I don't really want an escort, you know?"

"Maybe, but I thought we might chat for a bit once we have some privacy."

Hermione sullenly leads Natalia back to the Gryffindor dorm and up to her room. Parvati and Lavender are thankfully absent and Hermione seals the dorm entrance before collapsing onto her bed.

"Thank you for escorting me 'home', Miss Tonks. Honestly, I'd like to spend some time in solitude, if you don't mind."

"Yeah, well I do mind, which you knew before. Don't stress it though. You can just lie there while I express meself."

"Wonderful."

"See, I expect that you're feeling a bit put-upon right now, but with you all fatigued I might be able to get a few words in before you get argumentative."

Hermione grunts.

"Right. Are you aware of just how much you've hurt Holly over the past year?"

"What?"

"I mean, bad enough you ran off when she found out about being Harry, but then you dump her with a 'you're evil and I never loved you' right when she was at her worst point. Then you trot off and start looking for men to shag, gleefully telling her about it through Harry."

Hermione sputters for a moment but is cut off.

"Oh, I know you thought it wasn't Holly, but a deep part of you might still have known, and there was no reason not to expect Harry to share that with Holly once she was, y'know, RELEASED FROM PRISON. Then there's this whole 'I want to know everything' quest you've been on. Strange you didn't want to know what Azkaban was like, or ask her why she likes me, or how she feels about Luna fucking with your lives. Is that still bugging you, by the by?"

"Luna? Very much so! Why did she forgive--?"

"Didn't ask her about it, though?"

"We never got a chance. Hedwig died--"

"And you couldn't be arsed to buy your own owl? Couldn't find your way back to see Holly directly? I'm happy you were there for the birthday party, but then you disappeared again. She could have used some support with having a dad for once."

"Miss Tonks, I get it. I haven't been the best friend. I'll try harder."

"No, you won't. You're too selfish. All this has been about your need to know. How about offering something back?"

"Damnit! What's your problem? What did I do that's so wrong?"

"You made her fuck you! Not 'make love'- FUCK! She fucked you, and a little piece of her died right then!"

"I... I wanted to..."

"You forced her into this for your own selfish reasons, not thinking about what it would do to Holly. You thought this would bring you closer, but instead you've just driven a spike into her heart. She doesn't need this sort of turmoil!"

"Then why did you help me convince her?"

"'Cause she needs you, and I want her to be happy."

"Then why are you jumping down my throat?"

"Because you still don't think about what your actions do to Holly! I recommend that you do everything in your power to make Holly's life easier from now on."

"Should I spread my legs whenever she wants, then?"

"No, that's my job you uppity bint. She loves you for your mind and your morals and 'cause you were the first person to crack her shell after she suffered ten YEARS of neglect. It's our jobs to make sure that she sees a good reason to keep fighting. Any other girl would be a hollow shell or a rabid monster after suffering half of what she's endured. Our Holly is a fucking hero. I'll be sure to slap you when you forget that."

"Why are you being like this?"

"Because... (sigh)... I need your help."

"You... what?"

"Holly's getting darker. I'm fine taking it to the bastards when they step out of line, but she... look I just..."

Hermione sits up on her bed, watching as Natalia stares into her hands.

"We need to work together, or our Holly really will lose herself. She respects you in this. I respect you in this. But you need to bring up your 'A' game, sweetie. Holly's not listening to Minerva much anymore and I'm the wrong person to guide anybody's decisions. It's up to you."

"I'm not sure how much help I'll be. It's not like Holly cares much for me anymore, if you're right. You've given me a lot to think about. (Huff!) As if I wasn't already in turmoil."

The Auror rolls her eyes. "I'll leave you to your ruminations then. We'll have time to chat at the Ball and such."

Natalia stands up and then cocks her head in thought. "I'd like to teach you something first. You're fond of learning, I hear."

"I, umm... what is it?"

"Do you feel a warmth coming from your spine?"

Hermione thinks for a moment and then nods.

Natalia smiles. "That's Holly. Spend some time in your head tracking down the feeling and you'll find it."

"And then what?"

Natalia's face softens. "You'll feel her love for you. It'll make you turn towards her, like feeling the sun on your face. I always know which way Holly is, and so will you. Once you learn to Apparate you'll be able to pop right next to her, unless wards prevent it, of course."

Hermione concentrates for a minute. Her face snaps open in shock and she gasps and then flops off her bed onto the floor, having lost control of her leg muscles. Natalia turns towards Hermione slowly with a smug grin.

"Are you feeling it now?"

Hermione's hands flail uncertainly above her while she twists and twitches her legs and abdomen around on the rug between the beds. A small whine builds from the back of her throat.

"Eeeeeee (gasp) ehhhhhnnnnnnn (gasp) eeeeyyYYYYYAAHHHH! OH MY GOD!"

Both her hands snap hard against her sex, rubbing furiously as if to squash some burrowing bug beneath her skin. After a few minutes of this squirming about while trapped in a silent half-scream, Hermione convulses a half dozen times and collapses on the floor in exhaustion.

"Hmmm. I think you tracked back the memory of your Marking instead. That's always good for a fun time if you're stuck alone. I probably should have mentioned that you focus on your spine and not the Spiral itself. "

Hermione lolls weakly on the floor, summoning just enough muscular control to point the back of two fingers at Natalia before letting her arm drop back to the floor.

"And the same to you. I'll see you later, Miss Hermione. You just ponder those imponderables until you're ready to help, alright? Cheers!"

_**

* * *

Sex and Violets; post-dinner **_

Holly enters the cell where Pansy is laying petrified. She releases the girl, gives her a warm terrycloth dressing gown and a glass of water, then leads her out of the bare stone cell and back into the room with the futon and candles. Gesturing Pansy towards the mattress, Holly lights the candles and then settles down to face her, slumping to a comfortable lounge on the cushion. Pansy kneels down and then leans across the cushion to mirror Holly's positioning, grateful for some measure of comfort.

"I'm here with a choice for you, but we need to hash out some things. First, I'm going to scribe a circle to hold in our secrets. Give me a drop of blood."

Pansy holds forth her hand and Holly sits up to kneeling, taking it in a firm grip. She cuts Pansy's finger using her sharpened nail and squeezes the tip until a bit of blood gathers into a healthy drop. Newt appears from within Holly's hair, slides down her shoulder to hop off her arm and catch the blood drop in her mouth, just as it falls towards the mattress. Holly releases Pansy's hand and makes a similar cut on her own thumb, also swallowed by Newt. The little lizard then sprints over to hop into a tall red glass bottle, absorbing the contents before popping out once more and beginning to trace a pattern on the stone floor.

Pansy recoils into a defensive pose, sucking on the cut on her finger while she watches Newt draw an unfamiliar binding circle around them on the stone beyond the mattress. "What is that thing?"

"That is an ink imp. Her name is Newt. Once she's done with the circle we'll get into it."

"Where did you--?"

"Shh! Just sit quietly for a moment, alright?"

Pansy looks over to see Holly sitting lotus-style, her head bowed in thought.

A minute later Holly hears Newt squeak and reaches over to empower the protective band with a mumbled incantation and a flash from her finger. She turns back to stare into Pansy's eyes.

"Quick question. Has Draco had sex with anyone I know?"

"N-n-nnnnn. Yes. He's bedded both of his enforcers; though Crabbe is the only one he's had more than once. I also believe he's been with Colin Creevey, though I have no proof. He tried but failed to bugger me during my punishment. Why couldn't I lie just now?"

"It's a circle of truth- Veritorbis. Spendy for the materials, but I think it's fairer than the serum."

"Because we _both_ need to speak the truth! Are you really that stupid?"

"No, but I plan to Obliviate you later, so no worries on my part."

"I... admire that."

"Thank you. You get the first question."

"How long have you known that you were Harry Potter?"

"Since a week before I killed Flint. Just so you know, that little fact has tripled the likelihood that you won't survive the evening. You may want to consider that when asking these questions."

Pansy smirks for a moment before taking note of Holly's cold stare. She gulps and then nods for Holly to proceed.

"My turn, then. Why did you say that you would swear yourself to me earlier?"

"I know you know things. I know you're dangerous. If you found yourself with me as a surprise coven-member you may be foresworn from hurting me, so then you would be obligated to teach me to protect your secrets."

"Well played, then."

"Thank you. I... I'm uncertain now what you would think is 'safe' for me to ask."

"Anything personal you want to clear up between us?"

"Yes. Why do you sometimes act like I'm repulsive?"

"Ah. Well, Hermione and I were planning to sneak into the Slytherin dorm in second year but I reacted badly to the Polyjuice that we tried to use to turn me into you. Ever since then, thinking of you sexually makes me a little ill."

"Oh. But the one time..."

"'One time...', what?"

"You... fondled me in the shower..."

"Uhh, no I didn't. I do have a friend who has been threatening to appear as me in order to seduce people- she thinks I should use my dark reputation for more immediate benefit. It was probably her."

"Granger?"

"No, Pansy... Pansy, if Hermione had wanted to have sex with you, she... Hermione doesn't want to have sex with you. It's not personal, she doesn't go for women. And she's never even been in the Slytherin dorms."

"Hmph. But she went for you, even before you were Harry?"

"I'm a special case."

"Why?"

"You never forget your first girl. Either that or I'm just that good."

"You were definitely good with me... or rather your friend was... well who is she?"

Holly smiles. "Just the Goddess of Love. She can be trusted."

"I thought you were a Christian..." Pansy squints in irritation.

"Yes, well, she worships me, though I have great respect for her as a person and as a love goddess."

"I'm confused."

"Mission accomplished."

"Why are you able to be evasive?"

"I'm not trying to lie."

"Hmph. Are you a Christian?"

"I'm Agnostic, though damned."

"I'm unfamiliar with the term"

"It means I'm sure God exists, though I have no solid beliefs about his intentions for me."

"Yet you're sure you're damned?"

"If God has any doctrine in mind, He can't possibly be pleased with my performance."

"And why is that?"

"I've broken a major rule in every system of faith I've studied. If He is pleased, either the standards have fallen or the rest of the faithful are doomed for having the wrong idea. I choose not to believe in my infallibility against the various faiths of ten thousand millions of believers."

"There are only three billion on the planet and not all--"

"There are five billion alive and twice the same amount or more dead and buried who professed faith in a higher power over the last six millennia. Sure, some were lying to save their hide, but still. There's only one person I know of that could possibly be so egocentric as to believe he was right and everyone else fallible."

"Is this your Jesus?"

"No, I was referring to Albus Dumbledore."

"He heh. Heh heheh. Heheheh heheheh hahh HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

"Finally! We have a breakthrough! _Finite Veritorbis_." The circle surrounding the two witches flashes into smoke and dissipates.

"Hee heee heh heh, hmm. What did you mean a breakthrough?"

"I was searching for your humanity. C'mere."

Holly reaches forward and pulls Pansy up by her lapels. The violet-eyed witch is confused for a moment until Holly presses their lips together.

"What? I don't- MMMmffh!"

Holly wraps her hands around Pansy's face and dives into a deep snog that startles the dark-haired girl. Holly teases and tortures the girl's lips and mouth, frequently changing angle and pressure, sometimes sliding their lips together and other times pushing her tongue deep into the other girl's warm mouth.

After a few moments Pansy is breathing hard and trading back tongue lashes and nibbles, her hands gripped around Holly's wrists as if to hold herself up. Fairly soon the violet-eyed witch finds herself crying into Holly's embrace, and Holly shifts her arms to enwrap the shuddering girl in a protective hug.

Holly rocks the slim girl in her arms, holding her closely but not too tightly. After awhile, Pansy breathes in a deep, relieving breath and leans back out of the hug. She lifts her head to face Holly with a certain amount of pain and confusion in her tear-stained expression.

"Holly, what just...? I don't... know..."

"You may not believe me when I say this, but I know now that you've wanted me for a long time."

"Don't be ridiculous! This is just... because of the Punishment. That's it."

"You tried to kill my girlfriend. You made friends with her when you realised what she meant to me. You propositioned me at the World Cup after pissing her off again. You came to me looking for an alliance wearing only a nightie and then you asked to share my bed once I had conquered our House. Today you sandbagged my girl again, looking to take her place in a magical bonding ceremony with me, and I detected you because you wanted to kiss me more than she did. C'mon, admit it. I make you wet like a watermelon."

"N-no. I... I'm a... "

"Stop it. You aren't evil or wretched for wanting love. You don't deserve pain and humiliation."

"I don't... it's hard to trust my own judgment. What magic have you wrought upon me?"

"Truth, comedy, and sympathy. I'd use music but anyone who's heard me sing will tell you that it's a form of torture we should save for our worst enemies."

Pansy coughs out a half-hearted laugh. Holly smiles warmly and gently rubs the sternum of her distraught friend, calming her.

"Do you want to make something of your life? I mean, more than just struggling to find a decent pureblood partner who hopefully won't abuse you privately while demeaning you publicly. Do you want me to protect you? I don't promise you any kind of public support. Your world outside of this probably won't change much. But here, in your heart, you will know that someone cares for you. Someone powerful, if that makes it any easier. And I will protect you."

"I... I don't love you, Holly."

"I don't love you either, Pansy. But I'm willing to wager that my Violet has a chance to be worth loving. She's smart, wickedly funny and has a keen sense of the politics of this world. I met her at the beginning of term. If I remember correctly, she was nearly naked and hanging upside down outside my dorm room. Later, when she showed me unusual bravery and candor, I wanted her. Do you want to be my Violet?"

The girl sits in thought for a moment shaking her head. "You have some very strange notions, Holly."

"Yeah, but you like strange. And you like me."

"Oh? And why do you say that?"

"Because that's the third time you've called me 'Holly'. I guess you really like the way we kiss."

"I may want what you're offering, but I'm not a lesbian."

"Strictly speaking, neither am I. Besides, this part isn't about sex. It's about support and protection. Do you want to just go back to your pariah-ship, or do you want a chance for a better life?"

"Put that way I cannot deny you. Yes. I accept your offer."

Holly pats the futon. "Well then, doff your robe and lay down on your front."

Violet doesn't move, instead giving a disbelieving scowl. "'...she said while denying that this had anything to do with sex!' Yet you warned me that I have to give up my virginity. Although, come to think of it, why would you need to do that? Most any coven vow I've read about valued the witch's virtue."

"Some secrets we save until later. That said, I lied about the virginity thing. I will need to get you a bit revved and the whole experience is quite stimulating, but you can keep your hymen."

"Then why bring it up at all?"

"Two reasons. The first is that I wanted to make sure that you were willing to sacrifice for this, because this Marking stuff isn't about selfishness. We offer and require heartfelt cooperation."

"And the other reason?"

"I wanted to get Hermione in bed again. You'd be amazed how competitive that girl can get."

Violet snickers over the joke. "Amused maybe. Not amazed."

While Violet is distracted, Holly reaches back behind her and lights a small incense cone with a flame from her finger. The scent of mixed blossoms begins to fill the room.

Holly reaches forward to draw Violet into another kiss. This one is tender and only involves lips. As the kiss ends, both girls lean back and stare into each other's eyes. Holly's look is inviting, with an underlying devilish amusement. Violet's return gaze is appreciative at first. After a moment more, she gasps. Holly smiles.

"Something wrong, Violet?"

"I... I... I WANT you! Like a stirring storm, I want you! Where did that come from?"

"Tell me your name."

"My... my name is... Violet."

"What do want from me, Violet?"

"I want your protection. And... I want your... touch."

Holly smiles evilly. "In that order?"

"NO!"

Violet lurches forward to grab Holly's face and starts kissing her repeatedly. Holly falls backwards onto the futon, followed by Violet. She starts chuckling due to Violet's insistent kisses around her face.

"Okay, in all fairness the incense is based on pollen from a Bacchus poppy, but that doesn't create lust it just unleashes it."

"Unleash me!"

Holly laughs lightly. "Down, girl!"

"Fuck that! Do you know how long it's been since I've felt loved?"

"I'd guess since you weren't born male that your family has treated you like a mistake, so you haven't felt it at all. I think you turned out alright, though. Just take your clothes off, Violet."

"Oh, right." Violet sits back to let Holly up. She peels off the terrycloth wrap, exposing her tender sheet-white skin to the warm air, and then lays down sideways in front of Holly on the mattress. "So did Granger offer to warm your bed out of jealousy after all?"

Holly rises up to kneeling. "She offered. I declined."

Violet starts and turns to look at Holly, confused. "Really. Why's that?"

Holly smiles and looks kindly down at Violet. "Maybe I wanted you more..."

Violet gasps quietly, watching Holly remove her own robe. Her excitement increases when Holly bends down close and kisses her while caressing her back. Her enjoyment is cut short though, as Holly then rises up to make a last check on the ritual arrangements. Violet follows the short witch's movements around the circle with a mixture of dread and excitement.

Holly has arranged the tray of cups and lit the candles, and now sits next to Violet on the futon, rubbing oil into her hands. "To make the experience memorable in a positive way, I'm going to start by massaging an oil over your lower half. Scream out in ecstasy when you're ready to be Marked."

"I... don't think I'm ready to take our relationship that far. I've been a straight girl my whole life."

"Not really. Violet, I highly encourage you to define yourself only by _your_ experiences, not someone else's. You've been Violet for a short time now, and so far you've jumped me and gotten wet even thinking about kissing me. Don't accept an inheritance of poisoned ideas. Think, and learn. Then choose."

"So that's what you've been saying all this time?"

"Yup. I'd like to introduce you to a specialized term that might help you wrap your mind around your current situation."

"Okay." Violet gasps loudly as Holly's warm hands begin kneading the flesh around her buttocks.

"The word is 'Holly-sexual'. Seem appropriate?"

Violet moans deeply when the massaging moves between her legs to boldly stimulate her moistened sex. Her sudden rise in stimulation prevents her from answering except with a lolling nod.

"It's not about politics. This is personal. I'm personally interested in hearing you express happiness for once. And I'm kinda pleased to be the one to give you that happiness."

Holly continues to massage oil into the girl's privates, rump and lower back, occasionally leaning forward to allow her own breasts to caress the girl's pale skin. Holly's nipples curl into points, stimulated by the oil rubbed off onto them. Her breath catches briefly when her own ardour begins to generate heat at her core, encouraged by the sounds of Violet's enjoyment and the tingle across her chest.

"Quite... (Mmmmh)... pleased, actually."

Holly's manipulation of Violet's slickened petals switches to a more delicate, teasing motion. She runs her fingertips down along the outer lips and then rubs her way back up between the inner ones, swirling once or twice around her clit before repeating the motion. At the same time, she leans her body down against Violet's back and licks sensitive areas while rubbing her chest along Violet's spine. She slinks the hand not stimulating Violet's labia around to massage her breast, pulling the small mound to a peak and rubbing her palm across the center.

Violet's gasps give way to more moans, then cries of joy.

"Aingh! Aingh! Aingh! Aingh! Aingh! Oh, Merlin and MORRRRgana! Aingh! Aingh! Faster!"

Holly turns her fingers around and dips one into Violet's snatch, for a very loud reaction.

"Aingh! OaaaoooOOOHHH! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! (GASP!) (GASP!) (GASP!) (GASP!) AAAHHHHHHHNNNNhhhh!"

Holly feels Violet's peak of ecstasy as a clenching around her inserted finger. The spasms subside after a minute, their pulses fading with the volume of Violet's cries of delight. Holly gently removes her hand when she hears Violet settle into heavy breaths.

"And that's our starting gun. _I want to give you something; a token of my love for you. Will you accept my love and my protection? Will you take my Mark upon your flesh, so that you will always know that I love you?_"

Newt is already drawing in the stencil, though the ink bleeds a little and Violet's lower back clenches in reaction to her scribing.

"T-too... sensitive. Please. I n-need a m-moment."

"Nope. Now or never. Deny me now and you won't even remember that orgasm; one of your best if I guess right."

"It's the... Yes. _I will take your Mark. Protect me._"

"_Then accept this pain as a sacrifice to our love._"

Holly begins scribing the Spiral at her sacrum, causing Violet to clench up.

"Aighk! Gods! Are you telling me Granger made it through this already?"

"Yes, but I used a numbing solution for her. You are due a little pain from me, Violet. Just a reminder that you're still working up to 'ally' from 'antagonist'."

"_I... accept the pain_."

"Good, now shut up. You'll hear me hissing. Don't interrupt, and try not to squirm."

Holly begins scrawling the Spiral. She is careful to take her time, making sure the painful tattooing process is not adversely affecting the runework being applied to Violet's flesh. The witch in question bears through as best she can. The first few invocations are answered by only some whimpers and the sound of her nails puncturing the mattress. Following the 'bond of courage', Violet's reactions begin to take on a more sexual tone. The pain is still as intense, but Holly can sense that Violet is redirecting the meaning of the intensity so that it is linked to her sensations of arousal.

The fifth invocation is just taking effect when Padma bursts through the door. "Holly! Have you done the..."

Padma trails off, taking in the scene- the candle-flames lick upwards almost a yard beyond their wicks, Violet's naked body quivers and trembles, ink and blood freely covers her lower half and Holly turns to face Padma with glowing green eyes, her right hand seeming like a demonic claw with blood and ichor soaking it from her index finger downward. Waves of sexually-charged magic wash over her, and Padma slumps to kneeling on the floor.

Holly locks her gaze with the Hindi witch, initiating a conversation by Rapport.

'Padma, this had better be good.'

'You must not complete the chambers of the Svadisthana; if you intend to separate the personalities and bind only one to the Spiral, it must be incomplete. Otherwise, she will either break through the containment or go insane. I am not entirely certain if that can be avoided, but your chances for success are reduced if the--'

'You're sure?'

Holly feels a sudden burst of arithmantic formulas and side notes written in Padma's flowing script.

'Shove off, woman! I just asked the question; I didn't need a bloody proof!'

'Which bonds have you applied so far?'

'Warriors', enthrallment, courage, bodies and diligence, assuming I didn't mess it up when you interrupted.'

'I suggest you skip to the bond of passion, then.'

Holly turns back to the moaning witch beside her. A quick review of the sigil and Holly dunks her hand in the sand and the bowl of clean water, settling back on her heels slightly. Her hand slips down between her own legs, carefully rubbing against her clit until the potency of the experience releases the slickening fluid of arousal. Holly swirls her fingers for a few more turns before a quiet gasp reminds her of unfinished work. She reaches across Violet's body, pressing her teats down on the girl's raw and bleeding flesh only to cut a new source for blood on the outside of the witch's thigh. Holly drags her body across Violet's back as she returns to a scribing position, earning a whining moan that makes her smile. She skips two chambers and scribes the last rune while speaking in Parseltongue.

_{As my secretions give fire to your blood, we invoke the bond of passion!}_

Holly finishes the scribing, and both girls cry out from the sensations ripping across their bodies. Holly quickly incants the ancient consecration to finish the Marking. She places her scribing finger at the base of Violet's spine and grips her own nipple tightly with her other hand.

"Violet, come with me."

Like electricity, the final act sends both witches to screaming and twitching, until the candles and torches within the room all extinguish at once.

Padma lights her wand with a _Lumos_, and carefully inches forward to cast the glow towards the recent ritual's participants.

Both girls are panting heavily, with Holly slumped across Violet on the mattress. Holly slowly rises up to let Violet adjust her position. The dark-haired witch flips her body over to face Holly above her, her tear-filled eyes shining in the bluish wand-light. Padma breathes easier for a moment, relieved to see the girls seem to be alright.

A low growl emanates from the depths of Violet's throat.

Holly adjusts her position to match eyes with her new vassal. She is taken by surprise when the slim girl launches herself upwards, shoving Holly over onto the mattress. Violet continues to growl as she leaps onto Holly's naked body, but the sound quickly become muffled as she wraps her mouth around Holly's left breast and begins sucking on it forcefully. Holly's first reaction is a very loud 'GASP!', followed by another heavy breath as she feels Violet's hands sliding all over her body. One begins frantically kneading on her other breast while Violet's other hand rubs down Holly's abdomen, slipping immediately between her legs and forcing three fingers into the girl's snatch.

"OH GOD! Yeah! Fuck yeah! Oh Violet! Vi, you... OhHHHHHH!"

Holly literally wrestles Violet's face away from her now hickeyed breast and engages her in a fierce snog in a kind of combat reminiscent of wolves fighting for ascendency. The sheer ferocity of their tumbling sends Padma scrambling to her feet in fear, and she quickly leaves the girls to their battle, slamming the door behind her as she exits.

**

* * *

Later...**

Holly is carefully tending to the bruises and scratches on Violet's body. A salve usually used to help recover from harsh burns covers her lower back and buttocks. Violet hums quietly and then stretches for a moment when Holly's ministrations tickle her under the arm.

"Tell me again. Why am I now Violet?"

"Because I don't like Pansy."

"So you invented a new me that won't make you ill?"

"Uh huh."

"You are so very odd."

"You're not the first or last to say so. The thing is... I can't let you remember being Violet."

Violet lifts herself up off the futon and turns to sit facing Holly with a challenging look. "What?"

"Padma and I talked earlier; we still need to Obliviate you of all this. You're too close to the enemy camp to keep up appearances just by acting- you're just not that good an actress."

Panic is evident on her face and she covers her chest with both arms, defensively. "You... you can't do this to me! I can't lose this... feeling!"

"You won't. I'm not destroying you, Violet. You'll just be hiding in the background."

"And... will you come and get me? Will I... be able to... be with you again?"

"I will periodically unlock Violet so that you and I can catch up."

"Privately?"

"Yes. You won't be sent back underground without a decent shagging."

Violet slumps a little, dropping her arms to hold herself up on the mattress. "You make it sound tawdry..."

Holly slips her arms around Violet, drawing her close into a cuddling clench. She lets one hand slide down to rest on the girl's arse, her fingers grazing across the sensitive flesh.

"Violet, _feel how much I care for you_." A spark jumps from Holly's fingertip to the center of Violet's Spiral.

Pulses of erotic sensation radiate from Violet's sacrum. Holly leans Violet back in her embrace and wraps her lips around a puffy nipple. Violet's immediate and sustained climax causes the girl to clench up in Holly's arms. She mewls, she whines, she cries out and finally she collapses, weeping in joy on the mattress before her Mistress.

Holly crouches down to reach out and lift up Violet's face to lock eyes with her.

"Do you need any more reassurances right now?"

"N-no. But I would like to express my appreciation..."

"Again? I'm fine."

"Not like that... at least... what I mean is I'd like to recruit for you... for us."

"Kinda difficult when you don't know you're a member. Did you have someone in mind?"

Violet carefully sits up again, turning to face Holly with her knees between them. "Tracey."

"You wanted to seduce your roommate?"

"No, not... does it have to be sexual?"

Holly shrugs an apology. "Sorry- bad habits. Besides, she's about as straight a girl at Hogwarts as can be offered."

"She is? When we met at the World Cup you said--"

"I had it backwards. I originally thought you were straight and she was a lesbian, and that she bought the radio out of respect for your preferences. Then my friend reminded me that you started chasing Hermione while I was incarcerated and I realised that Tracey bought the radio to keep you at bay. Even she knew you liked girls before you did."

"But I don't hate boys..."

"You are so ill-informed. _I_ like boys... well, let's say I'm attracted to men, also. Even so, full lesbians don't hate men either; they just find them sexually distasteful."

"Yet you only pursue women, it seems. You said during the Secrets speech that Dean Thomas forced you to service him. Maybe that's what it is."

"I don't hate a group because of an individual. Dean made me wary, but if he hadn't tried to work me magically we probably would have ended up in bed together. But he stole my choice from me. I don't hate him for being male; the only people I hate are the ones that take something from me that I would have wanted to keep." Holly's expression darkens. "I hate them alot."

Holly's look of angered reflection causes Violet to gulp. "All of a sudden I am eternally grateful that Hermione lived through my idiotic prank."

"You bloody well should be. If you had killed Hermione... well, I've already gone to Azkaban for less. Get dressed."

Violet reluctantly clambers around to get up from the futon. After a quick search she finds her clothes folded neatly in a pile near the door and starts dressing. Once clothed, she turns to face Holly, her breath coming quicker when she sees that Holly is still naked, sitting at the edge of the futon.

"Come here."

Violet kneels down on the floor with her head bowed to Holly. After a pause, she turns her visage upwards slowly. Holly sighs once and then cups Violet's face.

"Did I say 'bow before me'? No. C'mere." She draws her up into a loving kiss. After a minute Violet leans back to gasp for air- Holly looks once more into her eyes and says '_Obliviate_'. Violet's head snaps up from the spell taking hold, though Holly ensures that her left hand keeps contact with Violet's face. Holly grabs her Lignum Vitae wand to add more spells to the mix, pointing it at Violet's forehead, an inch above her eyebrows.

"_Muto Venificus; Redimio Coactum: _Everything you've experienced since meeting Hermione outside the lavatory today is to be associated with Violet, the devoted follower of the Spiral. Pansy will forget all of that information and believe instead that she was ambushed and left hidden and silenced in her own bed until she finally broke the enchantment the next day. Both will do what they can to prevent others from discovering the meaning of the Spiral Mark. Pansy will consider it a token reminder of being ambushed. Passphrase, in my voice only: 'Are you my Violet?' Even once hearing this passphrase, you will not attempt to integrate the memories and instead allow Violet ascendency. _Phasmatis Reus_."

With a downturn of her wand Holly closes the layered spells. She then lays out a quick series of charms; "_Stupefy. Silencio. Dissimulo. Mobilicorpus._"

Holly taps her foot to reclothe into her weekend wear- black jeans, layered rugby shirts and a pair of trainers. She stands up and turns towards the exit, towing Pansy's hidden floating body behind her. Opening the door, Holly finds herself facing three discontented girls. Holly scowls at Padma.

"Tattletale."

Natalia steps up first. "Hols, what the fuck?"

She is followed by Hermione. "I thought you were just testing me..."

Padma adds in her own opinion. "I advised you against this. You may not achieve the results you want--"

Holly raises her hand and all three girls stop short.

"It's done, and she's been Obliviated. For all intents and purposes she doesn't exist except as the Pansy we know and loathe. You all expect me to save the world the dark, messy way. I agree- good intentions and faith in the nobility of human nature hasn't worked. So... fuck you very much for giving me grief about it. Padma- I'll have notes for you tomorrow. Hermione- expect a severe talking-to from Minerva, as she'll be pissed as Hell that you got Marked. Natalia... I'm sorry. I'm committed now. Our wedding will have to wait for the fall of the patriarchy."

"But we'll still be together, right?"

"Meet me in my room in an hour and I'll _show_ you how together we'll be."

Hermione makes a fatigued protest. "Holly, why are you going to tell Professor McGonagall at all?"

"Because she's on our side, she's my Mum, and you deserve an earful. Take your medicine. I'll be kind and suggest that your Shakespearean argument convinced me."

Holly walks off, carefully towing Pansy's chameleonized form behind her.

Natalia looks meaningfully at Hermione. "Feels like we've slipped one step closer to the edge, doesn't it?"

Hermione nods.

**

* * *

An hour later...**

Natalia removes the last of her clothing and slides into Holly's bed. She wraps her arms around Holly from behind- the scarred witch was already lying naked beneath the covers. Natalia pokes her head over Holly's shoulder to see her staring at the tears in her hand that she just wiped from her eyes. Holly's gaze is tinged strangely with fascination, or maybe disbelief.

"How are you doing with this, Hols?"

Holly turns around in Natalia's arms, blinks away a few more tears and shakes her head.

"I'm not... this day... Natalia, just kiss me."

Natalia initiates a languorous kiss that lasts for several minutes. Their lips finally separate and Holly leans back to smile at her lover.

"You make it all better."

"So... why'd you pull Violet into our happy harem-making scheme, anyway?"

"Your harem-making scheme- I only need you, remember? Anyway, Padma convinced me that it can serve both needs, so long as I don't fill the sigils for people we just want to recruit for the cause. Besides, as far as Violet is concerned, you started it. Since when do you get to seduce people as me?"

"Since I did and it helped!"

"Uhh, no! You didn't intend to help anyone but yourself at the time."

"Not true- you wouldn't believe how much that girl needed an orgasm."

"(Sigh.) Yes I would. Alright- this time I forgive you, as it was noble work. Has anyone else sampled my attentions without my being there?"

"I may have convinced Mr. Longbottom that he had the most excellent dream..."

"Natalia! You didn't!"

"I didn't... but I think it's worth considering!"

"He's fourteen!"

"Well so's Pansy--"

"No, we've already agreed that maturity gets a boost for being a girl, being bi-sexual and suffering through torture. By that accounting she's older than Charlie Weasley. Maybe if my care helps her heal from her abuse she could recover some of that innocence, but by then it'll be irrelevant. By contrast, Neville is completely untainted, male, and... inexperienced."

"Yup! Fertile and frustrated- you could probably get him to pop by kissing him. I'm willing to test that theory for you--"

"You are hereby grounded! Until Boxing Day the only one you get to kiss, much less fondle, is me!"

"What? No fair! The Yule Ball is like a buffet--"

"This is an order- _you will not interact sexually with anyone but me for the length of your grounding_."

A tremor rides up Natalia's spine, causing her to shiver until she bows her head and says "Yes, my liege." Natalia pouts.

Holly reaches up her hand to touch Natalia below the chin, angling her face so that they can lock gazes. "Are you going to be alright?"

"S'pose. Are you defensive about him 'cause you want to protect him or 'cause you want him for yourself?"

"Are you trying to make me throw you out of the bed?"

"No way! Forget I said anything. Can I kiss you now? It makes you forget stuff sometimes."

Holly smiles. "I've been looking forward to it."

Natalia snaps her head forward like a striking snake, licking and nibbling on Holly's lips almost desperately. Fairly soon Holly draws her into a deeper tongue-wrestling snog. Their hands rub across each other's bodies, pinching here and raking nails there until they break the kiss with a mutual gasp.

Holly licks her lips. "Mmmm! That was excellent but I didn't mean just there. Kiss everything, especially my warm and wet parts- I've had an amateur between my legs and I crave satisfaction from my true lover. Make me scream, Astarte."

Natalia grins and caresses Holly's arms, moving them to reach above her head. With a quiet word, silken cords snap out from the headboard to bind Holly's arms in position, pulling her to arch her chest upward, presenting her breasts like an offering. Holly's wide-eyed look at Natalia can best be interpreted as 'be careful; you're already on thin ice.'

Natalia sits up next to Holly's prone body and shifts into a form like a modern Mediterranean goddess- dark hair, deeply tanned skin, luminous grey eyes and absolutely perfect musculature. She trails kisses down Holly's neck, across her collar and down her chest to enwrap a nipple with a hot-tongued lick. Holly's breathing starts sounding like the growl of an engine. Once Natalia has nibbled Holly's nipple to a painful stiffness she repeats the action for the other breast. Holly twists in place under the skillful teasing and begins to keen with a deep-throated yearning. Her lover continues her kissing journey across Holly's abdomen, tongue darting out to stimulate nerve endings like she is following a secret, invisible map of erotic pathways. She hops over and shifts her position to kneel between Holly's untethered legs.

'Astarte's' hands glide up Holly's twisting body just as her kisses descend past the stubbly mound of Holly's Mons. She stops briefly, looking curiously at Holly's newest scar, but her interest wanes in favour of Holly's imminent sexing. The metamorph's tongue slips across her clit and between Holly's nether lips in time with the arrival of her long fingers rubbing Holly's rough and puckered areolae. Holly seethes and squirms in delight for a time under this treatment.

Holly is approaching her first climax in this dance when she is startled to feel a second pair of hands caressing beneath her thighs, drawing her legs to open wide and lifting her arse up from the bed. The green-eyed witch tips her head up to see what changed- Astarte now has four arms, and chooses this moment of surprise and revelation to drive her tongue deep into Holly's quim.

Holly throws her head back to scream in ecstasy.

She loses her voice about twenty minutes later.

It takes another hour before she loses consciousness.

* * *

... and dreams that somewhere in a derelict manor house, a man shaped like a deformed baby screams again in pain and frustration.

_**

* * *

Omake: Looking back to '...the one time...'**_

One Sunday early in December...

Holly enters the second tier girl's shower to find it barely occupied. Millicent is just finishing up dressing herself and gives Holly a nod as she exits. One shower remains active; Pansy Parkinson has just finished rinsing the lather from her short bob of dark hair.

Hearing the door close, Pansy turns to verify her privacy only to find Holly standing a few yards behind her, staring at the willowy girl's wet and naked body.

"I'll be done in a tic. You can have the space to yourself, 'dragonslayer'."

Holly silently disrobes and walks forward, nudging Pansy out of the stream from the nozzle with a hip-check.

"Hey! Impatient much? Why not use a different stall?"

Holly soaks her face and body, then turns to face a disconcerted Pansy and responds, "I like this one. It has really good jets."

"Y-yeah. I know."

Holly pulls Pansy by the elbow back under the stream of water, moving to stand behind her. The tips of her breasts rub against Pansy's back below the shoulder blades. Holly wraps her arms loosely around Pansy's waist, making a piano-tapping motion across the taller girl's abdomen.

"I love how it thrums across your skin, bursting its droplets against your nerves."

Pansy tenses up, freezing her arms half-raised while Holly continues to tickle her front. She stares down, watching Holly's hands skating across her skin, moving just out of contact as Pansy inhales and falling back to glide close to the surface on the exhale. The feeling of the water jets across her body also seems to sharpen, to the point where Pansy can feel the rivulets flowing down her chest and belly, leaving sensitized flesh in their wake. She sees Holly's right hand start tapping upward while the other inches down past Pansy's bellybutton. Her breathing accelerates heavily from the action but she still can't bring herself to move.

From behind her, Pansy hears Holly seductively whisper, "It's like the water is licking your body..."

Holly's fingers graze across Pansy's tingling right breast and she flicks the nipple that snaps to attention. Simultaneously her left hand reaches Pansy's downy privates, teasing the soft, damp hairs there with her rapid finger-drumming. Pansy soon finds herself hyperventilating from stimulation.

"Hahh! (Gasp!) Hahh! (Gasp!) Hahh! (Gasp!)"

"Pansy, are you liking this?"

"Y-yesss, (Gasp!) Hahh! Yes."

"Good."

Holly's hands slap down- the right gripping Pansy's breast like a vise, the left plunging past her labia and then drawing back to grasp Pansy's Mons like it was a climber's hand-hold. Both hands repetitively clench and release so rapidly as to feel like a thrumming engine is pressed to Pansy's most erotically-sensitive clusters of nerves.

Pansy screams out in ecstasy, her own hands rushing to cover Holly's'- partly intending to pry them away but instead finding herself increasing their pressure with her own grip. She then holds her breath through the rest of her rush of climax...

...a little too long.

The girl faints from lack of oxygen, slumping into Holly's arms. Holly gently lowers Pansy to the floor, laying her on the tile and positioning her hands to mimic where they had last been groping her body. Holly leans down and kisses Pansy's forehead just as the girl begins to stir once more.

"Time to wake up, little camper. Sex doesn't equal pain." Pansy barely moans in acknowledgement, her strength completely drained away.

After a quick rinse, Holly dries off and leaves the shower to return to her dorm room.

...and then shifts back into her Natalia form.

The real Holly sleepily looks up from the bed. "What have you been up to?"

Natalia smiles. "Praying. It's Sunday."

"Yeah, right."

"No really! Saturday is _so_ over."

Holly giggles.

**

* * *

Author's notes**:

The Twilight Zone episode Hermione mentioned is 'Shatterday', adapted from the short story by Harlan Ellison.

**Spells you may not recognize**:

_Muto Venificus_ - 'modify enchantment'

_Redimio Coactum_ - 'bind compulsion' - the Compulsion charm

_Phasmatis Reus_ - 'the Spiral binds it/answerable to the Spiral' (ironically also translates as 'ghost defendant')

_Dissimulo_ - 'to disguise/conceal' - the Disillusionment charm

_Mobilicorpus_ - 'move body' - used to shift unmoving people around, where _Levicorpus_ just hoists them up by the ankle


	13. 9501 Men and Motorcycles

**Spiral Tangent**: 'Men and the Art of Motorcycle Zaniness' - Holly and friends gather in Godric's Hollow following the Yule Ball to sort out a few things.

**Placement**: 26th December, 1994 - 1st January, 1995

**What you need to know**: Entirely too much to be recounted here. I'm also breaking my own rules by including plot-relevant activity in the Tangent that won't be recounted in the Journal. Eventually (~ Chapter 48) I'll explain why.

**Sections**:

Tutoring Hermione

Sirius

Remus

Bartemius

Albus

_**

* * *

Tutoring Hermione [very early 26th December]**_

Three witches appear in a basement library with a loud 'snap'. Natalia almost immediately doffs her cloak onto the floor and shuffles into the loo. Holly watches her go, and then turns to Hermione with a grin and a flourish of her hands.

"Welcome to the Madhouse."

"I remember this room from your birthday. Why do you call it the Madhouse?"

"Because... _Lily's Madhouse can be found beneath the servant's cottage at the edge of what used to be called Potter Manor."_

"Oh. Ohhh!"

"Let me show you around, and I'll explain the plan."

"Do you know why Natalia just ran to the loo?"

"Something about Apparating between cold and warm places sets off her bladder. Anyway..."

Holly leads them through the Madhouse, starting in the potions lab which has been partially converted into a kitchen with the addition of an enchanted icebox and gas oven. They drop down the hatch into the gyroscope room 100 meters below, where Holly mounts the Time Turner into the Gyro and demonstrates the time dilation effect. Holly enchants it again to activate at full spin and twist, setting the delay so that they have time to return to the main level. The wave of time displacement washes across them like vertigo, but they keep their feet.

Hermione follows her friend through the storage hall with the water tank, learns of the concealed door to the bedroom and enters to find that Natalia is already dressed in her kimono in preparation for sleep. Holly then shows Hermione all the features of the loo (concealed door, seven-second-delay mirror, muffled flushing tank) and then leads her back into the main library.

They both flop into chairs near the hearth, Holly sinking lower and lower until her head is the only part of her body being supported by the chairback. Hermione laughs quietly while suppressing a yawn. Holly catches the contagion and yawns as well, struggling to sit back up in the chair normally.

"(Yaauuhhhuh!) Suuuure. I open up my heart and hearth, but you're just bored, aren't you?"

"Oh, please! If I weren't so tired I would be absolutely insane with all the things I want to look through."

"And that's where the Turner comes in- that gyroscope downstairs is set and spinning now, so this whole floor is operating at six-times speed. The bad news is that we can't leave or have others enter unless we shut down the gyro."

"...because passing through the bands of temporal displacement may cause tissue necrosis!" Hermione sits up, a second wind (more like ninth) empowering her temporary enthusiasm.

Holly sighs. "Because it hurts, yeah."

"So the 'Finite First' is a reminder to shoot a Finite down the tube so that it reflects off the mirror and stops the gyroscope."

"Yup. Brilliant, eh?"

"Yes, it is." Hermione leans forward, speaking quietly. "I have a concern. You have me stuck in here with you and Natalia for the next three days, even though Remus and Sirius should be here in twelve hours of normal time."

"Uh huh."

"Holly, did you bring me here to seduce-?"

Holly reaches forward and gently places a finger on Hermione's lips. She smiles, watching her friend's face contort through several emotions before breaking the silence.

"You are my friend. When I think of you, I think of the girl that hugged me before I confronted a possessed professor. I think of the girl that stood in a classroom of pagans and said 'God is watching'. I think of the girl that came up with panic coins using a Protean Charm as an afterthought. My Professor Granger."

Holly pulls away her finger and the girls share a kind look. Holly sighs.

"After that, I remember you as my first kiss, my first lover, and my first heartbreak. Sure, I think you're sexy and I love seeing you enthused with an idea. I want you to be happy, and I know that this collection will make that very likely."

"And then...?"

"And then we'll talk about whatever wonderful ideas you've come up with that are likely to frighten my godmother into a coma."

"But... not sex."

Holly rises from her chair, offering a hand to Hermione to help her stand. "I'm involved with another woman. Possibly several, if she gets her wish."

"I see."

"Fair warning? The other woman wants you badly. If you get very excited, you're likely to wake up satisfied but feeling like you've run a marathon and are still trying to catch your breath."

"And you're alright with this?"

"It's one way that I keep my figure."

"No, I mean for me. Why would you be alright with Natalia and I becoming... ehmm... _that_ friendly?"

"Natalia really likes you. This is how she expresses it. If you can accept it, her love is intoxicatingly complete. At that moment, you are all she cares about. I can't think of anything that would make me happier than to see you two romping naked together without a care in the world."

"You love her, _because_ she wants to sleep with me?"

"Yes! She has a different philosophy, but I get it, so it makes sense and I wouldn't want her to be anything except herself."

"Ironic as _that_ is."

"Heh, yeah. That said, you make your own choices. If you need help keeping Natalia under control, just remember 'scurvy'- it's her safe-word."

"What's yours?"

"Suggesting that I should be 'nice'."

"Is there... would you want... (sigh)... will I have sex with Harry again?"

"Sure. It won't be me, though."

"Why not?"

"My rules. If you wish to express sexual attraction to me, then you're dealing with me. Harry is a figment, which is Natalia's department."

Hermione's face falls slightly, so Holly steps forward and gently hugs her.

"I think that... if you spend some time in the books for a while, you'll feel more like your old self. Learning is your passion and your anchor. I love this place because it is my sanctuary but I've wanted you here to enjoy it with me from the moment I first stepped down the staircase."

Hermione accepts a kiss on the cheek and then steps back to look at Holly with concern. "What stopped you?"

"Prison. And you dumped me."

Hermione bows her head a moment in regret.

Holly sighs with fatigue. "The elves can still travel between here and normal-time, so call for one if you need something. I'm going to bed."

"Where will I sleep?"

"It's a big bed, Hermione."

"But..."

"Remember, you have safe-words. Trust me; I think Natalia's already asleep and I'll be dozing in the middle very soon."

Hermione turns around nervously, saying, "I'll... I'll just sleep in that reading chair-"

With Hermione facing away from her, Holly pulls out her short ashwood holdout wand and aims it at Hermione's bushy locks. "_Dormus. Mobilicorpus._ I should have guessed you were going to be difficult."

_**~o~**_

* * *

Hermione awakens in warm comfort. She is tucked beneath layers of blankets on a large, soft bed, with a warm body spooned up behind her. A brief inventory of where their two bodies are in contact informs her that her bed-sharer is male, thin, and somewhat aroused. His manhood rests against her lower spine, their skin separated by a singlet and a pair of boxer shorts apiece.

Grinning inwardly, Hermione shimmies her hips back slightly, causing Harry's erection to grow and a soft moan to escape into her ear. The hum of his voice gives her a thrill. She gently draws his arm from where it rests along her hip, cuddling his long-fingered hand between her cotton-covered breasts. After a moment of inactivity, Hermione begins to drowse once more.

Her attention is re-awoken when Harry draws her more deeply into his embrace, a mumbled 'Mmm, H'mione.' sending another charge along her spine. Harry's cuddled hand grips her left breast softly, drawing her nipple up to a point before rolling it between his fingers. Harry begins kissing along Hermione's neckline, eliciting a heartfelt gasp. Harry's tongue reaches out to tickle her below the ear. Hermione responds by grinding back into his erection, causing his breath to hiss out and his own legs to shift and rub against the backs her thighs.

Hermione stretches away from Harry, then turns to face him only to find herself engaged in a deep and lustful kiss. Harry's tongue stabs and tickles against her own, and his hands knead her shoulders while drawing her deeper into the kiss. They break apart with a mutual gasp to stare with lust into each others' eyes.

Hermione has barely a moment to drown in the deep green irises, just visible in the candlelight, before Harry pushes Hermione back to the mattress. He pulls the thin cotton camisole out of shape and out the way of his efforts, then leans down to ravage her breasts with his mouth. Hermione's excitement doubles and she adjusts her legs, snaking one beneath Harry's hips to wrap them around Harry's lower back, drawing her lover more tightly to her heated body.

With a simple twist of his hand, Harry liberates his hot member from his shorts and guides it straight up the leg hole of Hermione's boxers, pushing aside the fabric to slip deeply into her wet folds. Hermione gasps aloud with the suddenness of the move but immediately reaches up to stab her tongue into Harry's mouth, encouraging him to continue.

They break the kiss to allow Harry to rock his pelvis upward, embedding his cock to the hilt into her core. Hermione's hands grasp at Harry's hips, and they move into a fast, driving rhythm. Hermione's young breasts barely jiggle with each thrust, but her voice becomes louder and louder.

"Oh! Oh! Ahh! Ahh! Ahnn! Ahnn! MM! MM! Yuh! Yeah!"

Harry's position shifts, startling Hermione in the change of angle. Once Harry begins moving again, she shivers in appreciation of the new stimulation. Harry changes his grip as well, bringing her pelvis up against his with more force, for an even deeper penetration. Hermione's excitement redoubles and she begins to climax.

"Huhh! Huhh! Huhh! Aiyh! Oooh! Oh God! Oh HARRY! OH GOD! YEAUGGHHHH!"

Harry's own ardour remains undiminished and he continues to penetrate her through another climax.

"MMH! MMH! Ohh! Ohh! Ohh! OHH! OHH! AHH! AHHH! AHHH! AIGH! YAAHHH! YES! AAAAAAGHhhhn!"

Harry's motion slows down, though he continues to move into and out of Hermione, keeping her buzzing in a near-constant aftershock orgasm. Hermione looks up into Harry's eyes and sees love and affection there. She sighs in blissful enjoyment, the relaxing of her muscles triggering another change in stimulation, tremors of excitement spreading throughout her core.

Hermione closes her eyes to simply feel the pulse of their lovemaking, imagining her concentration following every erotic pathway as it is stimulated. After a moment, her eyes pop open in a realisation. Hermione considers protesting, but then finds that she's too weak and agreeable to the stimulation to stop or even really consider slowing down. Nonetheless, her internal moral compass insists upon clearing up any confusion.

"Uhhn! Uhhn! TONKS! What...! What are youuuu...? Uhhnn! Uhhnn! Why are you doing this?"

"Because... you want it, and I want it, and it feels... just... perfect. Perfect..." Harry-Tonks changes his angle, the shifting of his hips pushing Hermione's legs yet wider, providing a deeper penetration. Harry's pelvic bone grinds his short-hairs against Hermione's clit, sending sweet shocks to her brain.

"OH! Ohhh! Oh. Unhhn. MMmmh. Keep going..."

Harry shifts position once more and changes up speed, causing Hermione to gasp and throw her head back in ecstasy.

_**~o~**_

* * *

Some time later, Hermione once again awakens to find herself in a warm embrace, spooned up against a thin but strong man. This time she is completely naked, and the hands of her companion are already lightly caressing her breasts, bringing warmth and excitement to her core, where well-used muscles begin to protest. She moans, then covers his hands with her own, ceasing their stimulating motion. She sits in thought for several minutes before turning to face Harry with a sad look. Harry's face looks back with kindness.

"Am I ever going to wake up in Holly's arms?"

"Maybe. She doesn't usually sleep in, though."

"Is that... from her childhood, serving her relatives?"

"No, nightmares. They're worse if we don't get to shag before sleeping."

"I had no idea."

"She still protects you from the worst horrors. I think you should press her to let you into her mind. At least... ask about Riddle."

"Alright. Natalia?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't be them for me anymore."

'Harry' reverts to Natalia's shape and smiles.

"Too weird?"

"I need for there to be truth between us."

Natalia frowns slightly and cocks her head in curiosity. "Okay..."

"I find you annoying. Even more so when you're right and I'm wrong. I used to think you were some pervert for coming in and seducing my friend, then I saw you as a rival for her affections, even if I didn't entirely want them. Then I saw you as Holly's magical slave, and I wondered if you were normally this sexual or if it was a side effect of her lust for you coupled with the Spiral."

Natalia props her head up on her elbow, looking down at Hermione in the soft candlelight with an unsure concern. "And now?"

Hermione is briefly distracted by Natalia's firm breast, now uncovered by the topsheet and resting inches from her face. She lays back on the bed to look instead at the canopy and keep her thoughts focused. "Now? You certainly are not a normal witch. Holly understands, and I am beginning to understand, that your sexuality can't be measured in a human scale. It's as if you're a different species."

"I'm about to get offended."

"Wait, please. Hear me out. I... I didn't mean for that to offend you. It's more like; how can I judge a Centaur for not wearing clothing? They have different physical tolerances and a different culture. So it is with you- sex isn't the same thing with you. It has a different meaning."

"Uh huh. Where's this ramble going?"

"I don't ascribe to your beliefs about sex. I don't think Holly does either, and it's making her a little confused. She's trying to adjust for you, but it hasn't been working out too well. This trouble with Miss Delacour-"

Natalia interrupts with a pointed finger. "Hey now! Hols was provoked, start to finish. If the Veela bint wasn't trying to dominate the room all the time, Hols wouldn'ta gotten hot and bothered about it."

"That's my point- if you hadn't been encouraging her to seek other partners as well, she might have been more inclined to simply resist the effect."

Natalia scoffs. "Not really. They first met up at the Cup, and nearly had an afternoon delight but for some errant electricity. Only... Hols looked like Jodi, so 'Flower' there never twigged to who she was when the Frenchies arrived at the school. If Hols had been open with her about it, we might already be sharing her." She gazes off into the darkness, smiling in imagining a fruitful scenario.

"Holly might have enjoyed the notion, but she... she loves you. I can see that."

Green eyes snap back to give Hermione a challenging look. "Jealous?"

"Yes! Bitch. Now as I was saying-"

"Hah! Oh my gods and goddesses, I made Kittyhawk get catty! There should be a monument-"

"Enough! Yes, I know. I'm repressed. It took extreme and magical intervention but I'm finally able to think clearly and I understand how I lost my best friend when I stopped being her lover. And yes, I am jealous. But I'd like to thank you for helping me to see myself better, and for being a better friend and lover to her than I was."

"My pleasure, a lot."

"Yes, well, that's the other point. I don't think Holly wants to take me back into her bed. She's moved on. I know she cares for me, but I think I've hurt her too much to be trusted that intimately. It's why she agreed for you to substitute for her, isn't it?"

Natalia's expression darkens. "I dunno. She's acting a bit off this morning."

"Maybe it hurts her to see us together as well?"

"Nah, that's not it. It's something about the French girl. She can't be jealous of me being with you if she didn't care when I nearly bagged Erin, Miles and Katie all in one day."

"Katie... Katie Bell is gay?"

"No, no! I never carouse as meself at the school. Merlin's sake, girl- I'm a teacher to these kids. That'd be just wrong. No, Katie thought I was some Durmstrang wizard when she opened her robes for me. That was tempting, but the girl's still a virgin, and I can't play with newbies- it's cruel. They think sex means a future together."

"Aren't you concerned with... with diseases, or possibly becoming pregnant?"

"Can't say as I am- I can sniff an STD even before they undress, and I can only get pregnant if I want to. I'm sure there's plenty of girls that'd like to close their cervix at will, but ya can't teach that sort of thing. Of course, the risks didn't hold you back this morning either, I see. Were you hoping to bear Harry's love child?"

"No! I'm already on Madame Pomfrey's anti-pregnancy draught. You do have a way of weakening my defenses and better judgment, though. I think it would be best if... well..."

Natalia gives an exaggerated pout. "No more sex?"

Hermione looks deeply into Natalia's now-purple eyes. Hidden behind the girl's nearly perpetual optimism, she can just sense a faint anxiety.

"I think it would be best if you tried to limit your carousing to those with whom you can be honest about your identity. Just remember... I... I-I'm a bit more... fragile... than your recent partners."

"You're playing with me! You really want to keep having sex? This isn't just teasing?"

"I... ummm... " Hermione reaches forward and kisses Natalia on the lips. Nat opens her mouth partly and licks Hermione's lips in gentle supplication. Hermione tilts her head and drives her tongue back into Nat's mouth with enthusiasm. Their bodies move against each other beneath the sheets, Hermione drawing Natalia on top of her and using both hands to run through the spiky locks of the Auror. After a few minutes their kissing slows to a tender buss and Natalia leans back to give Hermione an eager grin. Hermione smiles back while rolling her eyes.

"Yes. Yes, I want to make love with you. Because you are remarkable. Amazing. And... you are a better Harry than Harry, as a lover at least."

"Yeah, well don't fault him for having human weaknesses. It helps that I can stay hard for several hours and don't have boy urges driving me to procreate. Hols may talk about Harry being a figment and all, but he's in there and dealing with the same problems as any bloke going through puberty."

"That might explain why she prefers for you to act as Harry for the most part- she already knows how to handle the common girl's hormones and is procrastinating on spending that time with the other type."

"Fair point, but I seem to recall you just saying you wanted to have sex with the real me."

"I did- mmpphh!"

Hermione's agreement is cut off by Natalia's enthusiastic snog, which continues for a minute before she pulls back to give Hermione a feral grin.

"Let's get to it!"

Hermione sighs weakly. "Natalia, I am exhausted and famished, and don't you think Holly might want to know how we're doing?"

Natalia pulls back for a moment's consideration. "Oh. Yeah."

_**~o~**_

* * *

Hermione and Natalia emerge from the bedroom wearing their dressing gowns, with Hermione leaning affectionately into a one-armed hug from the Auror. Holly looks up from her book and smiles.

"Settled things?"

Natalia turns to look at Hermione, who smiles back. They turn to smile at Holly. Hermione responds, "Yes. We've decided to dump you and elope."

Holly chuckles. "'Bout time. I swear, if I have to hear another night of Natalia going gooey over your legs, your arse, your smile, your skin, your toes..."

"My toes?"

"She has a thing where-"

"Hey! Don't spoil the surprises!"

"Whatever." Holly smiles and returns her attention to her reading.

Hermione bites her lower lip, then says, "Holly, you know we're just joking, right?"

"No. I don't expect either of you to pay much attention to me for the rest of this holiday."

Hermione looks at Holly with concern. "Why not?"

Holly closes her book and faces Hermione. "Answer me this; did you have sex with Natalia, or one of her male simulations?"

"Well, aside from some wonderful kisses, we've kept our intimacy within the heterosexual realm so far."

"Uh huh. Would you rather want to kiss me, or Harry?"

"Well, Harry, naturally."

"Uh huh. Natalia isn't done with you, yet. You are still early in your training."

"Training?"

Natalia nods enthusiastically. "Training! We'll take a break for lunch and rest a bit. You read for a while, whatever you like, then we'll sup and then get back into it." Natalia turns Hermione's confused expression towards her own smiling face and plants a slow, lingering kiss on the younger girl's lips. She then winks and breaks away to walk through the false bookcase into the Potions lab/kitchen.

Hermione turns back to face Holly in the chair. "I don't understand."

"Hermione, one year ago (as the planet swings 'round the sun, that is), you and I broke your parents' kitchen countertop in the midst of a sexual romp. Since then, your attitudes have become more limited, not less. Natalia is going to, quite literally, blow your mind."

Hermione gulps while staring towards the kitchen with apprehension. "A-and then what?"

"And then you and I are going to take a trip into mine. Then, you'll know everything that you've wanted to know that I wouldn't answer about."

"Why must I become a lesbian-?"

"Hermione! You need to remove the shackles that limit your ability to understand alternate behaviors. You need to not flinch. Otherwise, all you're going to get out of this is nightmares."

"This is where I..."

"Trust Natalia. Yes. Just look into that bubbly happiness and then think- 'she's already been there.' Get it?"

"I... I'm beginning to understand why you love her."

"Magnificent. Just remember, this is a loan. I want her back when you're done, and don't damage the upholstery."

Hermione smirks and sets her hands to her hips. "Should I fill her with petrol as well?"

"Don't be ridiculous. She runs on water, walnuts, diced fruit, pizza and beef jerky."

Natalia returns from the kitchen carrying a bowl of fruit, adding in, "Also, semen."

"Yes, but I don't think Hermione has any."

"Smart girl like her- she could find a source."

Hermione blushes deeply.

Holly squints at her and smiles. "Hermione... do you have some sort of tale to tell?"

"No. No, of course not. Not in the least. No."

Holly looks at Natalia who is grinning wide while carefully placing the bowl of fruit onto the Octogonagall.

"I'll hold her; you tickle!"

_**~o~**_

* * *

Twenty minutes later finds all three witches collapsed on the rug, breathing heavily.

Holly shakes her head. "Ron? I mean, obviously it was a moment of opportunity, him spunking from Allure overflow, but what made you think to get a sample...?"

Hermione sighs and answers, "Newt wants siblings and using Harry's would be just... wrong!"

"Abundantly. I've already tried that and killed the outcome."

Natalia nudges Holly's shoulder roughly. "Holly, stop trying to one-up everyone on their depravity."

"Yeah, I suppose it'd just be like taking extra victory laps with the driver still aflame..."

Holly draws up her knees, rolls up into a crouch and rises from the floor, heading into the loo. Hermione and Natalia turn to look at each other with matched looks of concern and confusion.

_**~o~**_

* * *

Early into the third day (Turned), Holly and Hermione share memories. The process takes hours, with both girls delving deep into the other's mind. Close to their scheduled mealtime, Hermione slips out of the linked state, followed soon by Holly.

Hermione begins to look at Holly's body, scrutinizing her, refamiliarizing herself with Holly's curves.

"Hermione, you seem troubled."

She reaches tentatively to trace the length of the scar across Holly's collar. She then draws back and traces the next one that runs from her left shoulder across her sternum, obviously intending to trace each one in succession. Hermione then has to remove Holly's top, which she does with clinical efficiency using a flick of her wand. After returning the instrument to the bedside table she returns to her inspection, face hovering mere inches above the flesh traced by her fingertip.

By the fourth examined line, Holly is beginning to breathe deeply. Hermione's fingers carefully and intently trace across the swell of her breast, dragging just a centimeter above Holly's nipple, down between the cleavage and up again. Her progress continues undaunted, not racing or slowing down. Holly's confused look at Hermione's scrutiny is unmet, ignored in favour of Hermione's focused gaze.

Fingers glide across her ribcage.

Fingers slide across her abdomen, first above, then below her bellybutton.

Fingers trace the dips and rises of her hips, muscles tensing with the touch.

Fingers glance along the top of one thigh and jump to continue upon the other.

Hermione finishes her tracing with a touch just above Holly's right knee.

"(Gasp!) Alright, what was that all about? (Huff!)"

Hermione looks up from her crouch, gazing with concern across Holly's prone body and up into her expression of confusion.

Hermione shifts her body and climbs up to straddle Holly's waist. She leans down to look deeply into Holly's eyes.

"This should have been my torture. These should have been my wounds, my scars."

"I'm... alright with taking it for you."

"You're an idiot..." Hermione leans down and kisses Holly with love. A moment's tenderness and she changes her angle, dipping her tongue into Holly's waiting mouth. Their lips barely touch in favour of the dance between their insistent tongues. Hermione breaks the kiss to rise up and look down into Holly's eyes once more. She reaches around her waist to grasp the hem of her camisole, and pulls it up over her head to free her breasts to the warm air.

"Holly, make love to me."

An unusual nervousness crosses Holly's face. "W-why?"

Hermione smiles coyly. "Because as I recall, you're really, really good at it. And I'm ready to reciprocate each and every touch with one of my own, everywhere on your fantastic body!"

Holly frowns and gently pushes Hermione off of her, then rises from the bed.

"Holly, what's wrong?"

"I can't help you. I'm going to stop the time gyro. The lads will be arriving shortly."

Holly wraps her dressing gown tightly around her body and strides across the room, exiting into the storage hall that leads to the hatch. When she returns, Hermione is still sitting where she landed on the bed, half-naked and confused.

"Hermione, unless you intend to seduce my adoptive father or our former professor, you should put your damned clothes on!"

Hermione watches Holly pass through to the loo, her mouth agape.

_**

* * *

Sirius [26th December]**_

I'll say, it was a good thing that Joker was guiding us to the house, because Remus fell asleep in the sidecar after we passed Dover. The madcap owl would take breaks in my friend's lap until he noticed how far I'd veered off course, then peck my arm before launching off to redirect my flight. Yet Moony ignored the whole thing and kept dozing- the faker. Full moon was over a week ago, but he still plays at being 'fatigued'.

I spotted Holly sitting at the edge of the south field, bundled in her winter wear and reading a book.

"Hey, Moony! Let's give her a buzz!"

Moony snorted awake and looked down towards my target while blinking to acclimate to the brightness of sun reflected off snow. Finally, he started being helpful.

"Sirius, you idiot! We're still invisible and Silenced!"

"What?"

THUMP

After landing twenty yards down, we both rushed to where Holly was laid out, face down in the snow.

"Good job, Padfoot. You killed you're daughter for Christmas!"

"Shut up, Moony. I know she's alive because you're teasing."

Holly lifted herself from the ground groggily, with a plaintive moan.

"Did somebody say 'ketchup'? Oh. Hi, Sirius. Nice landing."

"I'm sorry, Hols. It would have been funny if you-"

I seem to remember a buzzing noise just before I lost consciousness. I woke up with my left arm in a sling. The good part was that I was reclining on a couch in the den of a house I remembered from before my incarceration, with my daughter snoozing in my arms under a blanket. Suppose that means I've been forgiven.

_**~o~**_

* * *

"The house looks almost the same as when your parents owned it."

"Thanks. Dobby and Florean really did a job. Furnished it and everything. Oh! You have to see the solarium!"

Of course they furnished it. Dobby and I picked out the trappings together over the last month. Just one more gift for all those I missed, my heart. Someday I'll mention it, if only so she knows that the buffet, china and silverware are antiques worth more than the house. At least to collectors- this house means so much more to us than mere money.

Holly led me back to the kitchen, where the space had been doubled with the addition of a tiled greenhouse that led out to the back garden. The room was quite warm, particularly for this cold of a winter. Holly then lead me up the iron spiral staircase to the 'Observation Deck'- a deep all-season porch also accessible from the master bedroom that provided a splendid view of the forest south of the Hollow.

"You have a nice home for yourself, Holly."

"Thanks. I'm going to call it the 'Nautilus'."

"The Naughty Lass? This porch reminds me of a shipdeck, but this thing can't sail, can it?"

"No, you goof. Nautilus- it's a sea creature with spiral shell. Anyway, that's what I'm calling it."

"Why give it a name? 'Holly's house' works for me."

"I'm putting it under the Fidelius, just as soon as I can figure out how."

"Pardon me for feeling an eerie discomfort, but such protections haven't turned out well for this address."

"There's nothing wrong with the spell; it was the Keeper that was a mistake."

"I can't be the Keeper."

"I know. I wasn't asking you to."

"You have someone else in mind?"

"Yup, but you aren't going to like it. Florean."

"The ice cream man? Why not use Natalia, or Minerva?"

"The Fidelius operates on trust. Nearly everyone I know and trust is bound to me by a vow of some sort, so the Charm won't take hold."

"The man's your drug dealer!"

"Yes, but he also redesigned this house. If there's anything Florean can be trusted for, it's pride in his work. Besides- would you have even suspected him?"

"Fair point."

_**~o~**_

* * *

Once we returned to the den and the other assembled family (Tonks, Moony and Kittyhawk), I presented my above-board gift. Remus gave me a knowing look- there's 50 Galleons riding on this wager.

Holly crouched down in front of the large box covered in wrapping paper, and with a gleam of Christmas-y avarice, she tore through the paper and cardboard within seconds. Her joy was less than overwhelming.

"A pink suitcase? Please tell me this isn't a hint-gift."

"Kids today- no sense of adventure. Now, step back a bit."

I pulled up on the handle while incanting '_Accelerati_'. With a twist of the mechanism, the suitcase began to unpack itself, accompanied by that odd grinding sound I hadn't been able to eliminate.

(Hoh-Hee-Hah-Huh-whirrrr...)

There was the look of delight! Holly stood up and gazed at the re-assembled Kawasaki Ninja that I had been slaving to finish for the holidays. She stepped forward, running her hands along the casing and the leather seat.

She turned and grabbed me in a rib-cracking hug. Really. I had to use a Charm to set it. It was worth the pain, to see the absolute joy and excitement bubbling within her.

Then I lost the bet.

"Pink? It didn't come in any other colour?"

"Hah!"

I scowled at Remus' gloating but couldn't resist trying to play it through.

"You're a girl- what's wrong with pink?"

"Nothing, Sirius. Let's just move this outside. I'd like to take this pink throbbing engine you're giving me and wrap my thighs around it- see what kind of performance I can get out of it!"

Natalia and Hermione immediately fell to the floor in laughter.

"I suppose purple would have been just as poor a selection."

"I would have taken a black one for the same ride, but then we'd have too many innuendos to play with. Thank you- I love it!"

The room had already descended into a battle of similar double-entendres, but I could only hear Holly being happy. That's special dog hearing I have.

_**~o~**_

* * *

Minerva showed up in time for dinner, but she had her 'disciplinarian' face on. Holly gave her a cold hug, then explained that her Godmum had deep concerns over Holly's actions in the last fortnight. Minerva then asked Holly whether she preferred to discuss her grievances before or after dinner.

Holly chose before; "I'd like to enjoy this family time, but I won't remember it well if my family abandons me right after. Let's get this over with."

The six of us assembled around the dining table. I had no particular axe to grind, but I always like to hear how Holly's thinking.

"Alright, then. Miss Granger, why did you take the Spiral Mark?"

Hermione gave McGonagall a squint. "Who is asking the question?"

"I am."

"No, I mean, are you the Head of Gryffindor, Holly's Godmother, the Deputy Headmistress, or-?"

"I am Agent M, the controller for this insurrectionist cell. Unauthorised actions have again been taken, and I'm two steps away from aborting our greater mission and calling your parents. Why did you take the Mark?"

"I wanted... I wanted Holly's full trust. I think she's in over her head and I can't help her if I don't know everything that's going on."

"Holly, why did you give Hermione the Mark?"

"She offered sex."

"Holly..."

"Because I like to win, and someone stole her from me; from herself, really. The Mark was the only way to free her mind from the other influences."

That seemed to confound Minerva's interrogation. I don't think she really disagrees with Holly.

"Well. Since your purposes have been achieved, I'd like to know when Hermione's Mark will be removed."

Holly took this poorly. "IF Hermione asks me to do so, I'll-"

Hermione interrupted, "I'm afraid it isn't that simple."

"What? Why?"

"You haven't studied the ancient world languages, Holly. The final invocation is in Illyrian. It says 'Loyalty unto death I consecrate with this Mark'."

"No it doesn't. It says 'Unto the time when this flesh is burned away, you shall be dedicated'. I'm sure that's what the translation notes said."

"Exactly. Burial arrangements in Balkan Bronze-age cultures required warriors to be burned to ash and bone, then interred with their weapons. I accepted a bond of loyalty to you until death, and I knew it when I said it."

"Ohhh, Hermione! Natalia! I... I didn't-"

Natalia calmed Holly's worries with a loose hug. "Hush now, sweetie. I wouldn't take it back for anything. I'm yours, for eternity."

Hermione also gave Holly a hug, silently adding her support of the decision.

Minerva tried to reclaim some control. "Well, at least that's the end of it. No one else need worry for their lives, just the ones you love most."

"Err..." Holly can lie with the best of them, but something about Minerva makes her want to confess- I remember the feeling from my own days at Hogwarts.

Minerva pinned Holly with a predator's eye. "Holly... who else bears the Spiral?"

"Violet."

"Who?"

Holly just pressed her lips together, but Hermione decided then to be 'helpful'. "She means Pansy Parkinson. Holly and Padma used the Mark to split her personality somehow, so the 'loyal agent of the Spiral' half is known as 'Violet'."

It was time for me to chime in. "Good show, Hols!"

"Sirius Black! What sort of father are you trying to emulate, here?"

"The kind that adopted an undercover adult in the midst of a cold war, _Agent M_. Holly has successfully bound the perfect mole with an established reputation of enmity towards her and with inroads to the enemy camp. It's the sort of thing Albus has running with that slimy bastard, Snape. At least Holly can assure her agent's loyalty, which is something Dumbledore has never been able to prove of his turncoat."

"Is that the last?"

"That's it."

"Then that shall BE the last. My stars, Holly! What were you thinking?"

"At the moment, I'm thinking 'you're fired', again."

I liked hearing my daughter speak like herself again. Maybe confession _is_ good for the soles. Wait- that doesn't sound right.

Minerva was equally confused, but for more obvious reasons. This started a tense argument that no one wanted to intrude on.

"Why are you insulting me like this once more?"

"You may be the eldest and the wisest, but I lead. Thank you for your advice, but we have reason to think the Spiral may be the key to winning this war."

"Holly, you mustn't tread the path of your enemy! This is wrong!"

"Mum, the enemy has a special advantage that enables his troops to secretly identify each other, communicate over distances, overcome minor security protocols like Obliviation, and keep their secrets from casual interrogators. I suspect a Master Occlumens with support of a Mark could even deflect the influence of truth serum. We have their technology, and have improved on it. We're using it, or else we're choosing to be defeated for the sake of your principles."

"Do you have the same stance when it comes to the Unforgivables?"

"No, but I will arm our side with ways to counter them whenever possible. I've felt the sort of pain and anger and... sadism you have to embrace to make those spells work. I will never train our people to use them."

"But you'll use them yourself, I note."

"My soul is already stained with those crimes. I will be the instrument of terrible effect, so others won't have to. I'm the killer, no matter how nicely you dress me up."

"The killer, AND the leader? Judge and Executioner?"

"I see your point, Mum, but I'm the one who gets stuck in the machinery all the time. I'm the spanner throwing off the cogs. Seems only fair if I get to choose where and how to be stuck."

Once more into the breach... "Minerva, what is the nature of your specific protest?"

"Holly has taken on many burdens, but I don't feel it appropriate for her to lure underage witches... or wizards, for that matter, into a binding agreement that is irreversible. It offends me!"

"Me, too, Mum. I would love it if my life was bereft of the tensions of Fate's pull. I could have been sorted into Hufflepuff and spending my days in learning and my nights in naked camaraderie."

Natalia shoved her in the shoulder. "Hey!"

"Or... y'know... so I've heard rumours."

"And how does that differ from your life now, Miss Evans?"

Holly sat back with an irritated glare. "Uhh, people keep trying to kill me and steal from me when I'm not looking. Also, I have nightmares of the sort Dementors consider delicacies. Since I can't undo the Spiral, this argument has lost meaning. Can we eat now?"

Made sense to me.

_**~o~**_

* * *

I'm not sure how, but a large dinner of roasted meat has the power to heal all sorts of family wounds. By the end of our feast, all thoughts of Marks and vows and crumbling societies had been left in the refuse pile. That didn't mean trouble wasn't brewing.

We had been chatting about our plans for motorcycle practice and clothes shopping, along with Natalia's intent to expose all of us to some moviehouse entertainments. We even teased Hermione over our present to her: a poster-sized reprint of her giving our Minister a black eye in the view of the adoring public. We left it unrolled to watch the action repeat throughout dinner, raising a cheer whenever the conversation lulled.

"Ohhh! And it's a T.K.O. for Hermione 'Groundbreaker' Granger. The champion, Cornelius 'Corn and Chocolate is a bad image' Fudge, looks to be on the ropes and- Ohhh! There she goes again!"

Remus teased the mortified girl for us. "Seems like you're ready to fight off the suitors as well. Your fame will no doubt lead to offers of companionship."

"I have already confused the issue with my public relationships with Harry, Holly, and Viktor. I doubt anyone would dare cross those intimidating guardians just for my attentions."

Holly scoffed. "Hermione, you danced with more men at the Ball than I did."

"Only because you stopped dancing after your last trip to the loo."

"Yah. Everyone who had an agenda or that I had maneuvered into dancing with me had already stepped up."

Natalia attempted a correction. "Hols, you turned down at least four lads with ambitions-"

"You're daft. No one approached me."

"You kept giving them your death-glare, but they were lured by the honey before you spat out vinegar."

Even Minerva had some supportive words to add. "You were the belle of the ball, by my estimation."

"Thanks, Mum. Pardon me if I expect a certain bias in your opinion."

This was becoming strange. I had to add my insight. "I saw the photos in this morning's Prophet, Holly. You looked smashing, and I believe those pictures were taken before your dress began to lose layers-"

"STOP IT! Why are you all making fun of me?"

Confusion from around the table was reflected in the sudden silence.

"What's wrong, Holly?"

"I'm... unsure how to say this. Thank you for your encouragement, but I know what I am. There's no need to shore up my self-confidence. I'm a... creature. You've all been very forgiving and understanding about how I look and all, but don't make out like I'm some Parisian model. There are a few particularly damaged people that find me attractive, despite my deformities. I'm pretty sure I've been using subconscious magic to shore that up, like Hermione had suggested last year. That's all. When you go off like this, acting like I'm beautiful and admirable, it just hurts. So don't do it anymore."

Holly stood up from the table and exited the room. I could hear her leaving into the back garden through the solarium door.

We looked at each other, trying to silently nominate one of us to pursue Holly. Hermione was the first to look to Natalia, but the rest of us soon joined her in realising that my cousin wasn't the one for the job- she was breaking down crying, herself.

Minerva stood up. "Sirius, I believe your daughter needs you right now. Hermione, will you aid me in moving Miss Tonks to the den where we might have a private discussion? Remus..."

"I'll clean up. Thank you, Minerva."

_**~o~**_

* * *

I strode out into the snowy darkness near the house, calling, albeit quietly, to find my daughter. "Holly? Holly!"

"Drew the short straw, did you?"

I turned to find Holly crouched behind the fieldstone wall, a circle of heat having melted away the snowbank and dried the grass beneath. It gave me pause, not recognising the magic used, but I walked over to hop the wall into Holly's temporary sanctum. The cold wind still stole the heat from me- no doubt why Holly was crouching. "I was appointed, but Minerva was right to send me. May I say something?"

Holly stood up to face me with a scowl, though she stepped back to the edge of the circle of warmth, keeping her distance. "Let me guess. 'You are deluded in thinking that you are anything but a wondrous flower, my daughter.' Either that or, 'forgive the creepiness, but if we weren't acting related I'd totally do you!' So which is it?"

"Come here."

Holly stepped up and looked up at me with a defiant frown. I slapped her across the face, hard.

"Ow! What's your-?"

"You stupid bint. I don't care how many scars you get; the people who love you aren't deranged. Your lover, my cousin, is bawling her eyes out over you. She's a metamorph- a magical fuck machine-"

"To Hell with you! That's a complete... how DARE YOU! You take that back or... I'll initiate a line succession crisis!"

It's an interesting way to say she'll kill me. This is when I realised that Holly wasn't up on family history- it was probably the case that Natalia didn't even know. "Ah. Holly, calm down a moment and allow me to explain. I have to share a little Black family secret with you. You are aware that Natalia's mother is Andromeda Tonks, born Andromeda Black?"

"Yeah- what of it?" The little spitfire was still looking murderous, so I chose not to draw out the storytelling.

"Andromeda upset my mother, who was her aunt and the House Matriarch, and she did it by choosing to fall in love with, and marry, a muggleborn wizard."

"For which they were all ousted from the Blacks. Your mum sucks."

"She did suck and is thankfully dead now, but it was Father who ousted them. Mother took a particularly personal revenge for the insult by cursing Andromeda directly. Mum said..." (and I tried my best shrill cackling Mum impression, here,) "'IF you're determined to whoooore yourself out to this FILTH, then whoooores are all that you shall beGET!' and then she hit Andi with a curse. It was an old family recipe- the victim will always have daughters and they will be built to be sexual.

"A Metamorph is the ultimate expression of that curse. They don't tend to be too strong-willed or intelligent, except in pursuit of their sexual release. Full Metamorphs are very rare, because very few families survive annoying the House of Black. You can find partials here and there descended from the few families and individuals that were able to make restitution to us."

Holly blinked several times in thought before glaring back at me. "What's your point?"

"Holly, she's not supposed to care! Metamorphs like Natalia make Veela seem chaste and virginal. And yet, Natalia would die for your approval. Monsters don't generate that sort of love. You are powerful and gifted enough that your love has broken through a very dark and powerful curse!"

"That's utter tripe! She had her own will to start with. Natalia is special, and capable, and brave, even without me!"

"Fine, then she's a miracle who loves you. Either way, you're no monster. Now, tell me why you suddenly feel misshapen, and when did it start?"

"Wha-huh?"

She's cute when flummoxed, but I was trying to stay focused. "You're under the influence of something. Everyone's confused back there because they're assuming as usual that your mental defenses are like the Rock of Gibraltar. When did you start feeling like this?"

My daughter rolled into a rant. She's quite the adept.

"Forever! You might recall I was born male! I wasn't raised to be regarded as human, then I came to Hogwarts to prove my relatives right about my freakishness. I was mutated instead of being allowed to die like any decent but untrained hero trying to slay a giant serpent. That would have finally ended my pain but NOOOO! You must remember me mentioning about what used to come out of my snatch! Then I grew bouncing boy-attractors overnight and by the end of the week the pervs had mangled them! Vernon's attempt to reuse my magical blood as lawn fertilizer left a nifty carbuncle through my viscera that's no doubt a crowd-pleaser. Add to that the screaming demon stuck to my forehead and I can't see how anyone DOESN'T flinch when they meet me!"

"That's shite. I know the difference between bluster and true confidence. You've been sure of yourself the whole time I've known you. And yes- I wanted to hump you as Padfoot, twice as badly as I had ever felt the urge with Lily. That's me responding to your confidence, just as I had responded to hers- it's not like I'm attracted to your tits when I'm a dog." (Good thing, too.) "So when did it start?"

"I told you- it's always been there, and the night of the ball just threw a reminder right in my face."

"A-ha!"

"'A-ha,' what?"

"What all happened to you at the Ball?"

"I was costumed up like a normal girl! I spent the evening pretending to be normal while everyone around me bought into the deception. I was the Dancing Bear, part two. The remake of Joe Merrick as a s-s-slag." Holly angrily rubbed away her errant tears. I didn't reach for her- my best way of supporting her was to let her get angry.

"Specifically, Holly. What specifically occurred that night?"

Holly stopped her anxious almost-weeping to apply some concentration to my question.

"I... my room was ransacked by some Ministry toady; I had to fend off Natalia so she wouldn't break character and make it look like Harry was in love with his sister; there was the banquet, dancing...; wait, I fixed Ginny's dress, then forced George to give Nev a cure for a drunkenness potion, then the pictures..."

"You fixed her dress? She couldn't toss a Reparo for herself?" (This wasn't a relevant detail, but I had to ask for the sake of Marauder honour- there's a standard for professional pranking, one I should probably write down someday.)

"Sirius, it wasn't broken- I modified it. Molly Weasley heard that her only daughter was attending the ball with The Most Blessed Harry Potter and sent along the best dress she had- which happened to be their family wedding frock. I re-tailored it. It's not a big deal, even if I don't like to think of my days sewing skirts out of Dudleys' fart-infused trousers."

"Eugh! There's an image..."

"Quite. Anyway, there was pictures, food, dancing, Neville got hit with Stinksap, Draco danced with me and offered an alliance with possible betrothal..."

"I thought you said he was not-you in every way?"

Holly made a dismissive wave. "He has no interest in me as a lover, but sees the two negatives as being a positive. That's nothing but politics."

"Interesting, though. Alright, go on."

"Umm, I cornered the duelling instructor from Brazil into dancing with me after he mistook me for a young professor. I danced with Luna, then took her back to her dorm and kissed her goodnight. Neville danced with me again once the Stinksap had finally been removed, but he bailed halfway through."

"Why?"

"Not sure. I was going to ask you, actually. He said he was mistaken to think I was a girl when I am clearly a woman, then he corrected himself to call me a lady. He bowed and skipped out. Y'know, maybe you're right- it's from then on is when I felt like reconstituted prostitute parts."

That got me scowling in thought.

"I didn't think it affected me this badly. Maybe I should just... stick to girls..."

"Maybe you should shut up and let me think a minute."

"I've checked myself for charms and the like and the jade ring would have buzzed for a potion."

"Women and mouths! You're just a chatterbox, aren't you?"

"Only when I'm on a rant or working a problem. Anyway, after Nev bolted I kept bumping into Fleur until I finally had had enough and dragged her into the loo for a... conversation."

"_Kept_ bumping into her?"

"It was her version of a siege- every few minutes she'd throw out another bout of Allure into the room, usually directed at whomever I was with. By the time I confronted her on it I was close to violence. It would have been worse except I couldn't decide whether I wanted to kill her, rape her, rape her and then kill her or something more inventive involving... ghosts and... rope."

"Ah. This one's the Veela champion, right?"

"At least partly. She obviously carries the talent for it. We fought; I won and even held myself back from permanently disfiguring her."

I gave Holly a worried look. "What the hell kind of spells were you throwing?"

"No magic. I called it for wandless and she accepted; as it turns out she's been trained in kickboxing." Holly shrugged.

"Why did you choose wandless?"

Holly bowed her head with a slight nod of guilt, I should think. "I... I wanted to get into a grapple with her, then show myself as Jodi, thinking she'd let us get physical in a more enjoyable way. Hard to do when her technique kept me out of range."

"Kinky."

"Yeah. Although to be honest..."

I waited a minute for the thought to be finished, but my daughter was obviously having a problem with making too many confessions in such a short period. "What?"

Holly decided to stare at a very slow-moving rock on the ground. "I'm also a terrible shot, so I figured a brawl would give me an advantage over a duel, which it did."

I tipped Holly's face up to see my smile- I saw this as another opportunity for us to spend time together. "We'll have to work on that!"

She smiled back ruefully- I think she's looking forward to it, too, even if it makes her feel less accomplished. I'll have to remind her later that I'm a trained Auror, if a bit rusty.

She stepped forward and traced the lapels of my velvet jacket with her hand. "Yeah. So. Any ideas?"

Something about this was so familiar. It had to do with Veela and a particularly potent fantasy I'd had on twenty or thirty occasions... Ah!

Holly looked intrigued by my wide, evil grin.

"What?"

"I have good news and very good news."

"That's unusual for me."

"I'd reckon so. The good news is that Miss Delacour's the one that spun your head. Allure is used as instinctive defense- it makes men dim and other women to doubt themselves. If she was using it like a weapon, as you described, I'll wager that it would accumulate. You just need to get rid of the layers of Veela slime she's crapped onto your heart and you'll be right as rain!"

"Good. How do I do that?"

"I'm sure you and your girls will find a way..." I winked at her but really I was struggling not to visualise the necessary sexual antics between those young women, two of whom are closely related to me in some fashion. Curse my fervent imagination!

"Really? I suppose the usual victim wouldn't feel worthy of sex and thus be stuck in their pit of doubt for a long while. Kinda like I've been for the last few days. What's the really good news?"

"Eh? Oh! You've defeated her heart and her body. Legend has it, if you also duel her in magic and win, she'll be yours."

"Mine?"

"As in chattel. She'll be your concubine."

"Is this legal?"

"Legal or no, it's supposed to be the nature of Veela. In the current environment I'd say we'd be likely to get support for having her classified a magical creature. The Black's would look darker still and everyone else with a mind to own a Veela would jump on the bandwagon saying 'we're just following the law as it is written...' It's amazing the kind of legislation you can push through while in exile. I didn't used to care, but now that it's difficult, I almost enjoy the challenge. And to have a bound Veela as the trophy, well..."

Holly met my humour with a pointedly stern look. "She's only part-Veela. Besides, I wouldn't want to enslave her. In case you hadn't noticed, that's really not my thing. It's really my not-thing. It's really what I'd like to prevent happening, ever again, to anyone."

I nodded kindly to assure Holly that I was only teasing. "Just be aware of the possibility. You may want to specifically not get into disagreements with her, so that she sees you are not trying to enslave her. There was one story where that worked wonders for political leverage, and this one's even the first daughter of a diplomat."

Holly calmed a bit and gave me a teasing scowl. "Studied this, have you?"

"The books on Veela have some very provocative woodcut illustrations. They were some of my favorite bedtime reading, growing up." And they still are. I just don't want to go home to get them.

"Hah! When did you grow up?"

"'Round about the time my daughter killed a dragon. It's a sobering thought to know you're legally responsible for Europe's most dangerous debutante. Can we go in now? It's freezing."

Holly wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly.

"Thanks. Thank you."

"Just fulfilling my duty, love. And as warm and enjoyable as this is, I'm still freezing." And struggling to keep our relationship from deteriorating into typical Black territory. She may be a little stocky, but Merlin, she's a looker! Just be proud, Padfoot. Just be proud.

_**~o~**_

* * *

We returned to the dining room where Holly immediately strode over to Natalia and kissed her, to everyone else's relief and mild applause. They looked into each other's eyes, holding a quick non-verbal conversation that provoked tears from them both and another kiss, after which they returned to the table with hands clasped together, though they remained standing.

"Alright. Sorry about before. Turns out Miss Delacour is trying to defeat me in my own mind. I just need to find where she left her juju and I can probably remove it. I was thinking... maybe an orgy would clear my head-"

I sighed dramatically. "Natalia, please take your lover, my daughter, to bed- she's obsessing. It's making the conversation drag."

"Sure, Pads. Holly- go to your room!" Natalia's 'mother-pose' brought out another chuckle.

Holly smiled. "Yeah, alright. I can see when I'm not needed. I have to personally apologise to you, anyway. In the Madhouse."

"Plan for that to take at least a few hours, missy."

"Thank you all- I think I found the poison in my brain."

"And I'll be along to suck it out in a trice, m'love."

(Groan!)

Holly disapparated. Natalia turned back to the rest of our assembly, looking a little teary-eyed.

"Thanks, sooo much. I... I think she might be back to normal soon."

Hermione interjected as Natalia moved to follow Holly, "Anything you want to do about Fleur?"

"Let's let Holly make that call, eh?" Natalia smiled once more and departed with a 'pop' as well.

I turned a kind face to the remaining women (Remus included). "Hermione, I believe the library is closed for the evening. Would you like to join us for an extended game of cards in the den?"

"Yes, please. I think I'll leave this reconciliation to the Olympians."

"Minerva? I brought a twelve-bottle survival kit from the chateau..."

"Oh? Excellent. I suppose my paperwork can be given a holiday as well. Lead on, Mr. Black."

If I'd known in my youth that my Head of House could be swayed by good liquor, we could have accomplished so much more. Ah, well. Time and tide...

_**

* * *

Remus [early 27th December]**_

It is late when Minerva finally retires to a spare bedroom, not trusting her skill at Apparating across the whole of Britain while three sheets to the wind. Remus then shoulders his drunken friend up the stairs to dump him onto another bed. The werewolf returns to the den to find Hermione still awake, reading through one of Lily's journals while reclined on one side of the sofa.

"You should consider sleeping. The book will be there in the morning."

"Actually, this book will automatically return to the Madhouse if I leave it untouched for a few hours. Lily used the same 'tethering' spell, the one Madame Pince applies to books in the Hogwarts library, to keep her personal collection intact."

"Of course she did. Lily got it from the Potter Grimoire. The Potters were the ones to invent the spell in the first place."

"Do you know the spell?"

"No, because I'm not a Potter or the Hogwarts librarian; but I recall Lily's excitement from when she told me about it. That was the last time we spoke before I was sent away on mission. The last time we ever spoke, really."

Hermione gestures to the other side of the sofa, inviting Remus to sit. The werewolf follows the movement and slumps down into the comfortable furniture, rubbing his eyes in fatigue.

Hermione sets her book on a nearby coffee table and turns to lean closer to Remus on the couch.

"It must have been awful, having to live alone for so long."

Remus looks at Hermione suspiciously.

"I wasn't alone. I was infiltrating werewolf packs, trying to build alliances.

"Yet you didn't come back to civilization, once Riddle was thought to be gone?"

"I did, but I had very little success without my friends' support. Sirius and James were always very... forthcoming with their generosity. It's something I've never been comfortable with; asking for or accepting help from others."

"You know this, yet you were isolated for a long time?"

"I know this now, as it was pointed out to me by a very dear and clumsy friend of ours."

"Does it upset you that she and Holly are together?"

"Together?"

"I mean, at the moment. Does it bother you-?"

"Please, Hermione. Can we talk of something else?"

"Right. Sorry." Hermione blushes slightly.

Remus sits quietly a moment, then moves to rise from the sofa. Hermione interrupts him with a question.

"How much of Lily is in Holly, by your estimation?"

Remus pauses in concern.

"What makes you think of it?"

"I'm wondering if you see elements of the one you loved so long ago. In a way, you've been given a second chance as well."

"I am not interested in Holly. What's more, she is not interested at all in me. From that, I would guess that Holly is most like Lily's daughter. She has lived her own life and formed her own opinions, separate from Lily's."

"You think if she remembered more of Lily's life, she'd be attracted to you?"

"I... I don't know. Why is this important?"

"My friend and I first had sex at a young age, and I'm trying to understand if it had more to do with my stretching for maturity to prove my intelligence or her already having maturity and simply moving us to catch up to where she was comfortable."

"Lily was never interested in girls. She even rejected the advances of a dear female friend."

"Who?"

"Marlene McKinnon. She was killed with her family only a week before the end. It was their deaths that drew me home. They were in the Order."

"So much tragedy has been a part of your life. I'm so sorry, Remus."

Hermione caresses his hand resting on his thigh. He reaches the other hand to pat hers. When he looks up, Hermione is staring into his face. The unmistakable signs of attraction reach toward him, captured by his keen senses. The flushed face, the deeper breaths, scents of nervousness and arousal, all begin to set the man's heart to pumping. He reaches forward to touch the side of Hermione's face. She moans lightly and her eyes flutter shut in response to his caress.

She moistens her lips, then purrs, "You don't have to be alone, Remus."

He leans forward, his own heart's beat overpowering the reason that tries to scream at him to get up, step away, not touch the warm and attractive girl in front of him.

"H-Hermione, you... you should..."

"I should what, Moony? What do you want me to do?"

A suspicious thought breaks through all the blood-pumping and scent-revelling that would overcome his reason, his humanity.

"Hermione, why are trying to seduce me?"

"Ummm..."

Remus stands quickly, looking at the young- VERY young- girl on the couch and growls down at her sternly.

"Answer the question: why are you trying to seduce me?"

"Natalia and Holly ARE together. I think you should accept that and move on. I am attracted to you, as I have been since we first met. I think you would do well to seek loveplay in a... fresh field."

"This is about Natalia?"

"No!" Hermione stands to face Remus directly. "This is about you! Why didn't you let me seduce you?"

"You're much too young!"

Hermione glares at him challengingly.

"Well, perhaps not TOO young, but too young for me."

"By what scale? Age? Does six years really make that much of a difference? Is Natalia really that much more mature than me?"

"Yes! No. Hermione... I think you are a wonderful girl and will become a startlingly attractive woman. I would be a fool to turn you down once you've grown into your powers and capabilities. But right NOW, I'm involved with the most wonderful woman. Natalia has... a special gift that makes her a perfect match for me."

"Only you?"

"What?"

"Are you the one that would be the perfect match for her?"

"I... I would like to try."

"I'd like you to not try."

"Why? Even if Natalia decides to end our... encounters, I have no intention of pursuing you."

"She has decided. I'm trying to ease you off, gently. If you can see the truth of things, you'll be able to move on without bitterness or regret."

"What? Is this some sort of sociological experiment, Miss Granger?"

Hermione stares at him from beneath lidded eyes. "Would you find that enticing?"

"Stop it! We will not be having sex, Hermione."

Hermione shifts into a playful tease. "Fiiine. I see how you are. Play hard to get. I'll find your weak spot, and then you're mine!"

Remus steps back and forward again with a puzzled look. "Who are you?"

The witch stands with hands at her hips, not unlike a pulp hero. "Hermione Granger, confident witch. Puncher of Poncey Ministers. Mildly bisexual, and chronologically sixteen in February. Shall we set a date? I can be delayed, but I will have my man!"

"This is a prank, and a poor one at that."

"It's no prank! (Huff!) Holly and Natalia are in love. Natalia has proven to you how love-worthy you are. I am looking for the traits she has that attracts you to her, so that you can see them in me! I've tried being provocative, fun, teasing, forthright,..."

"Yes, but why?"

"So that you'll move on, but still work with us! God! We've been trading letters since the first of term, about the Map and Moody and the identity rings. I know you enjoyed the correspondence, and for me, they were almost love letters. If you want to see me strip for you, just start talking about Arithmantic derivations for the creation of a magical integrated circuit!"

"You really are attracted to me."

"Yes, and you are to me- don't deny it. My guess is that there are three traits Natalia possesses that hold your attention away from me; unending endurance for sex, a positive attitude and a legal status that makes her barely appropriate for someone your age."

"I... I find her..."

Hermione steps forward with a glare. "Frustrating, flighty, clumsy, silly, sex-obsessed, annoyingly outgoing and difficult to be around."

The tired man pauses in consideration, before quietly responding, "...yes."

Hermione smirks in agreement. "Me, too."

"We... we can't be together, now. I can't. I have to find someone..."

"Strong. How strong do you think I will be in ten years, Moony?"

"Very. AND if neither of us is involved in ten years, I'd like to accept that offer, Hermione. But not now."

"Only if you promise to look for love elsewhere in the meantime. Pining after me would be unhealthy in so many ways. Just ask Holly."

"No, I don't think I will."

"You're still upset about Natalia."

"Well... yes."

"Professor... Moony? Be a gentleman- you had lost before you started."

"Why do you say that?"

"Holly asked Natalia to take you into her bed. They refer to it as your therapy."

"I... that's preposterous! How in...? What gives her the RIGHT? How can they PLAY WITH PEOPLE... and you're just laughing along with them, I suppose?"

"No. But they were right to do it. I see you're able to become angry without hurting people now, too."

"I... how... why... but...? Why would you think they were right?"

"Oh, I would never have suggested or approved of the idea, but the results are quite obvious. You are an attractive, powerful, thoughtful wizard. You have some baggage, carried perhaps a bit more obviously than some. But there's no question that you are worthy of love, and you know that now. You know it because two witches went out of their way to prove it to you."

"Were you selected as their spokesman?"

"Spokes-_person_, but no. I chose to speak to you about this. I empathise with you because... (sigh) they just pulled the same prank on me. I am an adjunct to their loveplay. I know they both care for me, but only insofar as I can't possibly interfere with their happiness together. In this also, we are two of a kind."

"Oh. I'm so sorry, Hermione."

Remus wraps Hermione in a kind embrace. She tightens her grip around his midsection, allowing her hands to wander south. "I'm not. We all deserve love. So, would you... like to do something terribly inappropriate with me? I promise; I won't tell."

Remus carefully extracts Hermione's hands from his buttocks, bringing them around and up to hold them in front of his chest. He gives her a baleful look and kisses the knuckles before releasing his grip. "I... really think I should start looking to date in my own age category."

Hermione smiles, kisses Remus on the cheek and says, "Good for you."

His shoulders sag. "You weren't interested either, were you?"

Hermione catches his eyes and gazes up with a meaningful expression. "Moony, I'm very interested." Her intense look breaks into a grimace of panicked amusement. "Also, I'm frightened down to my socks that you'll accept the offer!"

Both laugh lightly.

"Natalia was very interested as well, you know? She had to be told to stop the 'therapy'. Don't twist this around again; You. Are. Fanciable. I'm going to hold you to your promise, as well- you have one decade to find a companion, or else I'm coming after you."

Hermione smiles and then returns to her reading chair, retrieving the open book from the ottoman.

"Woe betide any who stand in your way!"

Hermione points at the lanky man with her book. "And you'd better run- I think by then I will appreciate the challenge of the hunt."

Moony smiles. "Goodnight, Huntress."

"Goodnight, Professor."

Moony pauses at the sliding door to the hallway and shakes his head. "Hermione, I'm not your professor anymore."

"Perhaps not, but you are due the respect of a scholar. Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!"

_**~o~**_

* * *

The next morning at breakfast, Moony drags the disheveled but silly-happy Natalia off into the dining room for a chat.

"How are you, Natalia?"

"Hngry, whch zwy 'm eetin a bifkt."

"Listen, then. (Sigh.) Hermione approached me last night, offering to console me for losing your attention."

"Diyu fp...fck... (Gulp)... did you do her?"

"No!"

"Your loss; she's a pistol, with a delightfully sensitive trigger."

"I... uhh... Never mind that. What she said was that you and I... our relationship..."

"Yeah?"

"She said you were just trying to help me. That this... our love... was some form of therapy."

"How do you feel about that?"

"Used."

"Really? 'Cause if anyone was used, it was me. Thankfully, I bear no grudges in this area. You're a kind and decent man, Remus. You have a deep well of emotion to offer the lucky witch or wizard that you find for yourself. Start looking. It's time. Bury Lily and walk forward. I'll be around if you need some tea and sympathy, but me first love is the short witch with the attitude. Alright?"

"I... "

Natalia wraps her arms around his shoulders and gives Remus a deep and lingering kiss of love. When she's done, she steps back with a brilliant smile that makes Remus warm in his center.

Natalia turns to head back into the kitchen but finds that the sleeve of her pullover is caught on the button of Remus' jacket. It takes them ten minutes and two laughing fits from Natalia to extricate themselves and return to the meal.

_**

* * *

Bartemius [29th December]**_

The sound of a whirring engine rolls along the gravel pathways in the foothills near Bath. A leather-clad woman astride a cherry-coloured sport bike peaks over the rise, heading towards the iron-gated entrance of an isolated manor house tucked amidst a dense area of forest. Her pace slows as she turns towards the gate; it opens suddenly at the gesture of a small humanoid creature wearing Yule garland as a serape. The motorcycle grinds to a wobbly halt several yards within the courtyard, and the small creature re-seals the gate behind them before running to hop into the cyclist's lap. The motorcycle revs back to life and the pair rides the rest of the way to the manor's entrance.

Minutes later, the short creature leads the woman armoured in black leather down a wide hallway. The woman removes her helmet and gloves as they walk.

"You're sure he's up for this?"

"Winky thinks Mistress shouldn't wait any longer."

Soon, she is led into the salon of Bartemius Crouch. He sits in a high-back chair near the roaring hearth, though he looks ill-heated by the fire. He is wrapped tightly in quilted comforters, yet shivering and pale.

"My Mistress to see you, my Master Crouch."

"Winky, I am not your Master-"

Holly steps forward into his view to interrupt. "I think she considers it a term of affection, sir. I am not offended, in any case."

"Miss... Evans. Have you come to settle the debt?"

"No, sir. I have come to talk with a respected authority, if you'd be willing to spend the time."

"Yet still, I am indebted to you for the loan of my own elf back into my service."

"I didn't do it for you, sir. I did it for Winky, which is the same reason I've come here today."

"What are you talking about?"

Holly gives him a meaningful look, but his expression of annoyance remains. Holly repeatedly taps a ring against the helmet in her hand, while glaring at the old man.

Finally, she sighs and explains her momentary reticence; "I'm not talking about anything, unless you'd like me to sit with you for awhile."

Barty Crouch glares at Holly for a moment before sighing in resignation.

"Please accept the hospitality of my hearth, Miss Evans."

"Thanks." Holly hands her gloves and helmet to a smiling Winky and whispers, "Hot tea and service, don't you think?"

The elf nods enthusiastically before disappearing with a 'pop'. Holly unzips her jacket and sits down in the chair opposite Barty, relaxing into the antique cushioning. The elder wizard goggles momentarily, no doubt half-expecting Holly to be unclothed beneath her leathers but he is calmed to find her wearing a knit pine-green pullover. Wrapping himself more tightly into his quilts, Barty eyes his guest warily.

Holly leans forward to address her host in a kind, quiet voice while still being audible. "You've fallen out of favour with the world, sir."

"I suppose I should not be surprised at your lack of respect, then."

"Sir, I'm on holiday and here as a favour. Excuse me if I don't want to waste time on all the useless pleasantries, when we're the only people in the room."

"Why are you here?"

"Winky thinks you've lost the will to live. She asked me to come here and see if I could help you find a new purpose."

"Serving you?"

"Fighting Voldemort. He's coming back."

A coughing fit overcomes Barty in reaction to the Dark Lord's name. Holly rolls her eyes.

"Oh, please..."

"It... (cough) is impossible. Your brother saw to his demise. No one can return from the dead."

"Really? Then why do you flinch at his name? Either he's dead and gone with no reason to fear, or he's not, and your caution has good cause. If you're hedging your bet in case of the latter, then why not indulge me in the hypothetical, at least?"

"You are unusually well-spoken for one so young."

"It's not the years, it's the mileage..."

"Eh?"

"It's the mileage that causes the wear and tear, which I've accumulated like Magellan. Will you hear me out?"

Winky appears, pushing a rolling tray populated by a silver tea service and a wide variety of edibles. Barty leans forward to accept a cup of tea from the elf, grumbling, "For as long as the tea lasts."

"Right." Holly pops a petit-four into her mouth, humming in satisfaction before continuing. "There's a reason people doubt that he's gone. The way he was killed doesn't seem like magic so much as a miracle. You don't understand it, so you don't believe it. If I tell you why I think he's alive, would you be willing to help me find a way to kill him permanently?"

"Is this not what Dumbledore works towards? Albus told everyone, back then, that he feared the Dark Lord was defeated but not destroyed. He warned of his eventual return and used that concern to excuse hiding your brother from the public. And you, I would suppose."

"Good supposing. So Albus tells everyone that Riddle's still alive but people don't believe him, even though they believed him when he said 'that smear there, that was him'? Pretty weak, by my reckoning."

"Riddle? Is this some new moniker for He-Who-Must-"

"Tom Riddle renamed himself Lord Voldemort-"

(Cough!)

(Sigh.) "...to cover for his humble beginnings, I suppose. He's just acting like a Lord. I don't use his stage name to speed along conversations."

"Extraordinary. How did you discover this, when so many have puzzled at his origins?"

"Albus confirmed it after I discovered the truth in an enchanted diary. I could never figure out why he wouldn't just share that critical information, as Tom Riddle was an orphan, and thus hardly likely a pureblood."

"No doubt he neglected to mention this other truth when it served no purpose but to make him seem like a raving lunatic. Albus's story never wavered on the events at the Potter home, but he recanted on the warning when it was obvious that public support was lacking. He held onto his position by desisting in the warnings, or any talk of the Dark Lord not specifically related to prosecution of his followers. His reputation very nearly was destroyed by his folly, much as mine was for finding my own son in the ranks of the enemy. Albus used what little cover he had to protect himself, and his associate, Snape."

"Sir, it's becoming clear to me that I need to study history a bit more closely, and that you might enjoy hearing about the truths kept hidden for a generation. Do you think we can reach an accord?"

"Tell me, why should I believe that you are not the Dark Lord's successor, trying to bend me to your corruption?"

"Well, first of all, I don't find you in the least bit attractive. Second, the 'Dark Lord' killed my mother and countless others just for being in his way. The only things I've killed were trying to kill me. Judge me by my actions. Anyway, I just want to talk. You can choose not to tell me any secrets you think are too dangerous for others to know- most of my questions are for getting a clearer perspective on past events. The adults I know have this annoying tendency to want to shelter me from the truth, if only to cover for their embarrassing actions at the time. You don't like me, so you should have no desire to coddle or impress me."

"What if I refuse?"

"Then I've done Winky the favour she asked, and you can be left to stew alone in your house with nothing but ghosts and regrets for company."

"Or I could leave to speak to more polite and enjoyable companions."

"That works for me, too. If you're out in the world, we'll have one more ally for when Riddle returns. I recommend you call on Director Bones, as you'd be able to talk shop. She's not too sure about me either."

Barty squints at Holly for a few minutes, the crackling fire the only disruption in the silence. Holly's calm gaze remains unbroken until he finally sighs into his comforter.

"Winky! I think we should extend Miss Evans' invitation to include dinner. Prepare something savory."

Holly smiles in satisfaction. She taps her foot and her bike leathers disappear, replaced by her charcoal dress robes with the forty buttons down the left side.

"There. That should put you at ease."

Barty smiles in appreciation of Holly's more upscale and wizardly attire. "It does, though now... I feel underdressed!"

"I'm willing to wait if you'd like to adjourn to wash up."

"Yes... yes. It's time I cleansed off the grime of the past and faced the day anew."

Barty rises from his chair stiffly and then shambles out of the study towards the staircase.

"Winky."

The elf appears with a 'pop', a pleased grin stretching across her face.

"Mistress is my mistress!"

"Yah. Give him a hand and add some Pepper-up to the broth or something."

"I will do it happily, my mistress!"

_**

* * *

Albus [January 1st]**_

The five who have been living together have assembled in the library of the Madhouse, breaking in a new couch to go with the added reading chairs to host the larger group of regular visitors. Holly is standing behind the couch, leaning over Natalia to hold her in a loose hug as the laughter and teasing rises and falls in their conversation.

Sirius groans through the retelling of how he abandoned Holly in a diner because he had successfully seduced their comely waitress. To defer further torture, he comes up with a distraction.

"Hols, are you sure Minerva knows that we're dining here and not in the Nautilus?"

"Yeah. I explained how the elves have the day off and that I was cooking. I had to assure her that I was playing chef instead of Natalia, several times, before she would agree to come."

A pop echoes from the base of the staircase, heralding the arrival of guests.

As the others turn to greet the new arrival, Holly draws two wands and begins firing off spells.

Albus Dumbledore's wand work deflects or absorbs Holly's inital attacks, but he is hard put to keep up when four more wands begin lobbing hexes at him.

Holly's expression changes when she sees Minerva grab at her chest and collapse to the ground. Her attacks speed up and her concentration intensifies.

Suddenly, a red, flame-like halo engulfs the Professor's head, and he collapses to the floor. A second Holly appears, standing directly behind the headmaster with her wand still smoking in crimson. The new Holly nods at the original Holly, who then turns to exit the room into the potions lab.

Remus double-takes several times in annoyance. "Where's the other one going?"

The new Holly answers. "Moony, it's me. I just left, Turned back an hour and kept watch on the proceedings until Uncle Gate-crasher showed up."

She drops to the floor next to Minerva. "Mum! Mum, I don't blame you. This wasn't your fault. You didn't betray me."

Immediately, the muscles in Minerva's body relax and her breathing smoothes out. Holly grimaces, then leans down to hug her godmother around the neck and give her a kiss on the cheek. When she returns to standing, her look is fierce but controlled. She turns to face Sirius and Natalia, who have been adding magical bindings and hexes to the headmaster for good measure.

"Albus is likely to recover soon, so let's move this feast to the Nautilus. Hermione and I will have to restrain from casting spells, so you two will be providing cover."

Hermione steps around the chairs to assess their bindings on the headmaster. She pipes up with a thought. "Would you still have some of that Veritorbis ink?"

"I don't think there's enough, but check in the kitchen. Remus, stay here and see what you can do for Minerva. Dobby!"

The elf appears with a (pop!) standing slightly behind Hermione, who then yelps and hops a foot away, her hands rubbing behind her hips as if she were pinched. Dobby looks to Holly with no other expression but a willingness to serve.

"Yes, Mistress?"

"Take Albus to the dining room at the Nautilus and bind him in a chair, would you?"

"Anything... else?"

"You have a grievance?"

"Mr. Longbeard insults my mistress again and again. Surely some retribution is a good idea?"

"Just put him there. We'll be along."

"As you wish, Mistress." Dobby grabs hold of the Professor's limp body and disappears with a 'pop'.

Natalia looks up from the empty space where she had just been casting hexes. "Hols, is Dobby getting more... weird?"

"Yup. But his speech is improving, so we take the trade-off and move on."

_**~o~**_

* * *

Albus awakens to find himself facing Holly across a teak dining room table in a familiar house. His hands are bound at the wrists in his lap and he is further restrained by a variety of ropes and chain, binding him to the chair. Various baubles and trinkets of his, including two wands, are laid out on a flannel on the table.

"Of course- the Potter house. I see you are being cautious... and the fact that I am awake means that you wish to speak with me, finally."

"Minerva's recovering well, thank you for asking, you berk."

"Miss Evans, I am sorry for my apparent rudeness in accompanying your godmother to this dinner, but I have several issues to cover with you, not the least of which is the difficulty I had in arranging this meeting. If I had known my actions would bring harm to our cherished friend, I would have chosen another way. Professor McGonagall was evasive about her destination, and I was willing to leave that secret to her discretion, so long as she accepted my gentle compulsion to bring me as her 'date'."

"You couldn't have just sent a letter?"

"I have sent several missives requesting a few hours of your time and all I received in response was childish pranks."

"Umm, I haven't seen anything... hang on. Dobby!"

(Pop!)

"Mistress is AGAIN interrupting the holiday special-!"

"Did you reply to the headmaster on my behalf recently?"

Dobby bows his head while suppressing an evil cackle. "Heh, heh, heh... Yeeeeessss..."

"Yeah. We'll cover that later. Back to telly for you."

"Much thankings for my most gracious Mistress-"

"GO! Go. We'll talk later."

(Pop!)

A brief 'Yeow!' is heard from Hermione in the next room, followed by another 'pop!' sound.

Holly grimaces slightly, then turns a less defensive face to her captive. "Alright, well, we've obviously been suffering a communication breakdown, so let's just both try to set the last hour aside and get to talking."

"Are you sure? Wouldn't you like to take some more time to determine whether an apology is in order?"

"No."

"Miss Evans, if you wish to function in the world you will have to learn when to admit your failures. I have been wronged, so an apology is appropriate."

Holly scowls at the headmaster. "You've been inconvenienced, and the fact that you've forgotten how far in debt to my good graces you still sit is reason enough for me to show you the door. How are you planning to apologise for all the injustices you've heaped upon me?"

Albus frowns and looks down at his hands bound together in his lap. "Of course. Please, forgive an old man for his shortcomings. My memory isn't what it used to be. You are correct, of course."

"Wow. Now I'm stuck. Good job."

"I've been known to be clever in my way."

"Don't ruin a good thing with humour. Stick with actual humility." Holly sits back with a huff and considers the ancient wizard across from her for a moment. "Alright, you have my attention. What's your agenda? And please, please, for the sake of my youthful impatience, please be brief, concise and literal."

"Perhaps in a friendlier arrangement. My old bones don't do well with bindings."

"What do you suggest?"

Albus looks over his glasses with a spritely twinkle. "Have you been to the Bowlplex west of Pucklechurch?"

Holly's eyebrows disappear into her fringe. "You want to go bowling?"

"Why not? Certainly no one would be looking for us there. It would be... neutral ground."

Holly shakes her head and crosses her arms. "And how do you know where the nearest alley is?"

Albus smiles wanly. "Miss Evans, we are neighbors. My family homestead is two fields over. I share a garden wall with the venerable Mrs. Bagshot."

"Must have been a shock to find out I've been basically hiding in your back garden."

"I am ashamed to say that it was. A bit."

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED in **Chapter 45: 'Auld Lang Syne'**

**Author's Note on time and scheduling during the vacation**:

Most days would start with everyone meeting for breakfast at the Nautilus. Hermione (and sometimes Moony) would then return to the Madhouse and spin up the gyro for extended reading time, while the rest remained aboveground, either shopping for clothes and more furniture, riding motorcycles or practising on Holly's accuracy. The studious ones would stop the gyro for late afternoon meals and discussion, then the girls would kick the boys out of the Madhouse and spin up the gyro for another few days' worth of bunkering with books and loveplay, until the next morning when the pattern repeated. In the end, Hermione spent a full month without seeing the sun too much, but she left with her brain pulsing with ideas. Other parts were also pulsing, for other reasons.

**

* * *

Fun with media references**:

(Hoh-Hee-Hah-Huh-whirrrr...) - my simulation of the Transformers' mode-shifting sound

"Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!" - Monty Python and the Holy Grail

"It's not the years, it's the mileage." - Raiders of the Lost Ark

And of course, the chapter title is a wordplay on the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig

There really is a Bowlplex west of Pucklechurch. I'm just not sure if it was there in 1994.

**

* * *

Omake**: Hols and Padfoot talk about velvet smoking jackets and the future of the House of Black.

"You aren't gay, are you? The House of Black is not teetering on oblivion unless Harry weds several fit witches, is it?"

"Why do people keep asking me that? It's Moony's fault, isn't it! People mistake his 'furry problem' for a guilty conscience, no doubt derived from some barely-repressed deviancy. Walk with him in a public square and I'll wager that strangers will take you aside to ask you if you're sure you're 'safe'. The man leaks out a 'molester' vibe- if he'd just shave that stupid moustache..."

"Fair point, but that only covers for when you're together. The truth is that you dress a bit dandy-ish, there, Pops."

"This is called 'style'."

"That is called 'retro fop' or 'unfrozen secret agent actor'. Only a Scotsman or Steve McQueen could make that look manly."

"Further proof that British culture has deteriorated from my absence."

"Well, you'd best get on that then. We're going shopping, all right, but for you as well. My father- the Velveteen Escapee, A.K.A. General Road Hazard."

"And you're my subordinate, Major Health Hazard. It's a family thing. No, I am not Remus' bed companion. Whether I can legitimately wed a witch and give her our name is a poor wager, though."

"Not feeling your fertility?"

"Too many to choose from, and none likely to accept frequent boarders and well-wishers."

"Maybe you should convert to Islam, buy a young set of concubines and settle in Kashmir."

"Say, there's a notion- wait. You're going to hit me, aren't you?"

THUMP. Right in the arm she broke before.

"OW! How is it that you can keep a bevy of beauties to yourself but I'm a cad for even thinking of it?"

"Girl power, and I'm not keeping anyone from anything. I'd be overjoyed if they all found love somewhere else and left Britain entirely. Then I could fight my war without restraint."

Well that's a new notion. Something else is wrong- Holly has never spoken like she wanted Natalia anywhere but right by her side (except when beneath her tongue, of course- Bad Parent! Rule 4: don't fantasize about your children's sex-life!).


	14. 9501B Further Escapades

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work.

**Spiral Tangent**: 'Further Sapphic Sexcapades' - Holly, Hermione and Natalia try to sort out their new relationship dynamic, but mostly it's just an excuse for them to end up naked. Also some other fun.

(Aside from Holly's recovery and some internal development for Hermione, this is erotica. I haven't posted a less relevant Tangent besides the Scorecard.)

**Placement**: Mostly amidst Tangent 9501, prior to Chapter 45 'Auld Lang Syne'

6th November; 26th December, 1994 - 2nd January, 1995

**What you need to know**: Holly's bi. Natalia's bi. Hermione just needs encouragement.

**Sections**:

They Huff and They Puff

Hermione's Coda

NAT

Triskele

Advice from the Author-lizard

_**

* * *

They Huff and They Puff [6th November]**_

It is a Sunday morning, a week after the announcement that the Tri-School Wizardry Tournament would include seven competitors. Holly is walking along the corridor back from the kitchens when she espies Cedric Diggory standing at the end of the hallway before her. Holly approaches him with a polite calm.

"Morning, Ced. Looking for me?"

"Yeah. My friends and I would like a word with you."

"Friends?" Holly looks over her shoulder and suddenly realises that there are twenty older students, all Hufflepuffs, currently standing with their wands pointed in her direction. She catches sight of Cedric pulling his own wand and simply turns to face him, nodding in acceptance. He whispers, "_Stupefy._"

Holly awakes to find herself strapped to a large square plank, slightly tilted back from perpendicular to the floor, facing a shadowed gallery filled with people. Unusual for her experience, she's still fully clothed. Directly in front of her, she sees Cedric returning his wand to his sleeve (no doubt he had just used it to Ennervate her). His is the only face she can see well enough to recognise.

Cedric smiles apologetically. "Hello again. I said we wanted a word, and that word is 'why'."

Holly clears her throat and replies, "Why what?"

A voice from the gallery bellows out, "Why are you ruining this for us? Our House is never recognised in favour of the more showy sorts. For once, we get to shine, but you're stealing our moment. Why?"

Holly nods a little and begins to conjure up a believable story, but she finds that an influence is interfering with her creativity. Taking an extra moment, she notices out of the corner of her eye some runework along the base of the board to which she is strapped. She decides not to fight the runes' influence too much.

"I guess the truth is only fair. I'm not doing this to ruin things for you. I knew Harry was going to be a competitor, but my involvement is due to someone else trying to get me hurt or killed. Professor McGonagall came up with the solution of doubling the team sizes for all schools to bring the competition back into balance."

Another shadow calls out, "She's your godmother!"

"Yah, and if she could've gotten me out of this deathtrap race, she would have. Besides, by having the rules switched, the School teams will have an advantage against Harry making everyone look bad. If anything, this has saved your chance for glory."

"She's just a Slytherin liar!"

"Um, actually I learned to lie long before this year. That doesn't change the truth of the situation- Cedric is positioned to lead Hogwarts to glory. Believe me; I don't expect to do well in this tournament; Cedric will have his hands full."

A new, female voice snarls, "Full... of you, I suppose. Team members will no doubt be working together verrry closely."

Holly smiles indulgently.

"Not that I'd mind such a man-handling, but I won't seduce another person's partner no matter how interesting the challenge. Cedric's steady girl has been proven to be wholly boy-fond."

"A-are you saying... what are you saying?"

"Cedric; Cho; Cedric and Cho; so many options! But I really do have better things to do with my time, and more acrobatic people with which to do them..."

Cedric smirks and gives a coy protest.

"Hey now, you don't think a Seeker requires some... flexibility?"

A giggle passes through her captors. Holly rises to the bait.

"Cedric, I imagine you'll soon discover that two Seekers aren't a good match, as they're always competing to finish first!"

Holly's delivery gets a number of chuckles.

"I'm not fond of Beaters on the whole but a Chaser is usually a good time, even if you usually have different goals in mind! But show me a good Keeper? Well, there's much to be said about strong hands... and having an eye for taking care of multiple holes... Don't look at me like that; I'm just kidding!"

Much laughter ensues.

"You'd do well in here with us. How'd you end up with the snakes?"

"Didn't you hear? I'm trying to take over the world."

More laughter.

"Actually, I joined the House at the Sorting Hat's request to defend the orphan and muggle-born firsties he wanted to Sort there. For the first two months of term the veterans concentrated all their abusive energies on me, giving the firsties a chance to acclimate and learn a few defensive spells. Now, I'm stuck there. They're not all manipulative back-stabbers. I'm just taking my time weeding the wheat from the chaff."

"Oh, it's not the fact that they're deceitful that makes them arses to us."

Holly gazes into the darkness, trying to pinpoint each different speaker. "Really? They always seem very condescending to the yellow and brown..."

"That's just cover. Everyone here knows the real reason why Snakes and Badgers don't get along- they're all cold fish."

"Come again?"

"Well, not in their hands, that's for sure!"

Holly laughs along with her captors and begins nodding emphatically.

"Now I get it. You'll be happy to know that I am of a different character entirely. I'd never leave such a worthy task only half-completed."

Cedric hops a little on his feet and adds a teasing thought. "Care to prove that challenge?"

"Well gee, Ced. You already have me tied up- I just assumed this was foreplay."

Holly hears a number of clacking sounds, as if rocks are being beaten together. Cedric nods to the gallery and pulls out his wand. With an agile series of twists, Holly is released from the plank, falling into Cedric's grasp, her arms catching around his shoulders. He blushes while setting her feet back to the floor. Once she's stabilised, he steps back out of her embrace.

"Holly, I am, really, in a relationship..."

"I understand, Cedric. I'm not trying to get in Cho's chowder. I hope you two can make it work, if that's what you want." Holly rubs her wrists. She notices a few of the Puffs waving a pleasant goodbye as they filter out of the darkened room.

Cedric answers, "I think so. We have a few things to sort out, but she seems willing to discuss them when we disagree. That's important."

"Sure, but a girl will always be kinder at the start. We change once we think the hooks are properly embedded."

Only a few are left as Holly finishes her brief 'no harm done' conversation with Cedric. She makes a mild protest.

"Oi! After all that spicy language I'm kinda frisky! Are you lot all talk or...?"

Cedric taps Holly's shoulder and points behind her. Holly turns around to face the 6th year Prefect, a slim girl with short, curly brunette locks and a deep tan.

"Hi. I'm Erin Moore."

"Hi Erin. What can I do for you?"

"Uhhhmmm, do you wanna compare scars?"

Holly does not turn her gaze from assessing Erin's body as she responds, "Cedric, it was nice seeing you. Erin... it will be my great pleasure to defeat you in this contest. Would you like to show me what you have, or should I... hunt for them?"

Erin catches her breath in her throat.

Cedric turns to leave, but first takes hold of the side of the 'board of truth', flipping it forward to reveal a long couch, attached to the back for when the board is just lying on the floor. Holly smiles wider as she hears Cedric close the door behind him. Erin expresses some nervousness.

"I-I've... never... "

"C'mere..."

Erin steps forward after a little encouragement. Once within arm's reach, Holly draws Erin's face down to her own, giving her a kind kiss on the lips. Erin breaks the kiss after a moment.

"I-I don't... know if I..."

"Erin, relax. Have a sit down with me. Tell me who you are. We've gone as far as I'm willing to go until you've told me what you believe. It's only then that I can figure out whether someone is worth getting to know, and I don't have sex without having a reason to express my appreciation for the person."

"So... what happens if you don't like me?"

"I'll leave. If you insist on being sexual with me it will be painful for you. Either instead of, during, or in payback for- depending on circumstances."

"I don't appreciate being threatened."

"Erin, that wasn't a threat. That's simply what has happened to others so far. Honestly, I can't see me hating you but if you turn out to be shallow and dumb you probably won't even realise that I've left before anything can happen. So; who is Erin Moore?"

_**~o~**_

Turns out Erin Moore is a very sports-oriented muggle-born who has been frustrated by the limited choices in exercise available. Holly teaches her the Spider Climbing charm. After spending twenty minutes chasing each other across the walls, they drop down and share a large bottle of Erin's muggle sport-water.

Holly teases Erin when they return to sitting on the couch. "There's nothing quite like trying inverted stomach-crunches to humble a person, eh?"

Erin shakes her head and asks, "Why do you seem so nice? The papers all say you're evil."

"And yet, here you are spending time alone with me."

"Oh, well Cedric said you were a little crazy but alright and that you have your heart in the right place."

"He did? How utterly decent of him. I can't imagine where he got that idea, though."

"He said it had to do with how you play Quidditch, and how you saved his life. He said that he saw your face when you charged that Dementor and it looked like you felt you were personally responsible for the attack. He said it was a desperate look of sacrifice. He says he can still see that look in you sometimes. Like you take damage so that others won't have to."

"Cedric's... a very wise man. It's probably best for Cho that you and I are here together."

"Why's that?"

"If either of us preferred boys, she'd have a hell of a fight on her hands."

"Yes she would! But... "

"Yes?"

"I think I'm happier right here, for now."

"Really? Why?"

"I... I think I understand a little bit more what Cedric sees. I don't want to be a part of your problems. They scare me. But if I can make your life at least a little better, I'd feel I was doing a good thing."

"Is that a Hufflepuff motto?"

"Yes. Loving another means helping them shoulder their burdens. Sometimes making love with them actually helps shoulder the burden. I'd like to help."

"And help yourself."

"If... you don't mind."

"Mind? At the moment, I don't think I can help myself."

Erin giggles at the wordplay. Holly reaches forward to take the girl's tan face in her hands and draws her into a deep snog. Erin moans into the kiss and reciprocates happily for several minutes. Their kissing stops only when Holly gasps from Erin's hand grazing her puckered nipple.

Erin's face falls and she begins to stutter.

"I-I-I'm s-so s-sorry I..."

Holly cuts her off with a renewed kiss that ends in a wide smile.

"Don't stop touching me, Erin. I don't think I could forgive you if we stopped here."

Erin reaches her hand again and lightly grazes her fingertips along the upper curve of Holly's breast. Both girls breathe heavily as their attention is focused on Erin's skimming fingers. Erin refuses to blink as she watches her own hand caress Holly's cotton-covered breast for a full minute. Holly's moan snaps her out of her excited reverie.

"MMMmmm! Erin, I want you to touch me more. Touch me like you want to be touched, okay?"

Erin's grip strengthens and Holly moans louder. Erin's caresses become more insistent. She clasps her fingers around Holly's nipple through the fabric and kneads the flesh beneath. In response, Holly moves her own hand up along the girl's side, slipping beneath her loose jersey to stroke the warm skin beneath. Erin yelps quietly in surprise and then shuts her eyes in pleasure when Holly immediately moves her hand up to caress Erin's hard nipple, her small breasts exposed beneath the shirt by a quick Vanish of her undergarment.

The girls resume kissing as they fondle each other's chests, though Erin looks at Holly in surprise when she hears her breath shorten in what she assumes is the precursor to a moment of ecstasy. Erin forgets the kiss and squeezes Holly's breasts more emphatically, rolling the cloth-covered nipples tightly in her fingers in the joy of giving another pleasure. Holly grabs both of Erin's hands and presses them against her breasts as she leans back out of the kiss. She moans loudly with a guttural growl accompanying her seething breath.

Erin massages and manipulates both sensitive globes, her own excitement rising with Holly's pleasure. Holly, in absent-minded consideration, moves her knee between the thin girl's strong legs and begins to rub her nethers through her exercise pants. Erin shifts her weight to kneel on the couch, her thighs gripping Holly's knee as it grinds up into her core. Holly cries out briefly in orgasm, prompting a look of shock from Erin that is replaced by a squint of almost painful pleasure. Erin's enjoyment of Holly's vocal expression of joy induces her own orgasmic convulsions, her thighs quaking around Holly's knee.

Holly recovers from her moment to see the thin girl rising into her own peak and slaps her hands around the girl's hips to move her pelvis to grind along Holly's thigh. Erin arches back into the motion, her first-ever interactive orgasm quickly being overshadowed by a much more powerful rise in stimulation. Erin slips her hands beneath her jersey to grip her own breasts, pinching her large nipples quite tightly while Holly continues to draw the girl's nethers back and forth along her muscular leg. Sweat begins to flick off of Erin's soaked curls and she thrashes her head back and forth to twist out the shudders of pleasure racing through her nervous system.

_**~o~**_

Erin finds herself laid out on the couch with Holly dabbing a wet cloth on her forehead.

"What happened?"

"You passed out. You have to remember to breathe, Erin."

"Ugh! Such a rookie mistake!" Erin stretches her body out on the couch and wraps her arms above her head.

Holly smiles at the thin girl's beaming grin of contentment. She caresses the girl's face and leans down to kiss her on the lips. After a brief but tender snog, the witch pulls back to give Erin a kind, sad look. "So. Was that enough? Do you feel experienced enough that you don't feel left out anymore?"

"Well I certainly think I've answered a few of my most pressing questions. Why? Did you... want to leave?"

"I want to stay only so long as I am welcome. You and I have similar tastes in this, but you were right before. You don't want to be a part of the insanity around me. Ask me to stay and you could be inviting a world of horror into your life."

Erin stares at Holly in thought for a while. Her frown and rising tears show the decision she has reached.

"I... guess you should go then. But Holly..."

Erin sits up quickly to hug the stocky witch who returns the embrace after a moment's pause.

"I will always cherish this gift you have given me. Always."

Holly squeezes the air from Erin in a tight hug and then releases her to stand up. She looks away towards the door before responding.

"Erin, I hope you find love, happiness and success. Just watch out for trouble. I'll keep an eye on your arse when I can."

"Thank you, Holly."

"Are you joking? It's an excellent arse! Keep up with the exercises, preferably when I am out studying and you wear as little as possible, yah?"

"Pervert."

"Find me again when the insanity goes away and I'll show you just how much."

Erin crunches her face in an anxious way. Just as Holly is opening the door to leave the gallery, she calls out, "Holly!"

"What?"

"I... just remembered another question I wanted to answer for myself. Do you need to be somewhere?"

Holly closes the door, turns back slowly and looks at Erin's anxious expression. "Depends on the question."

"What do... how do girls... taste?"

A feral light burns from behind Holly's glasses. "There are two types of people, Erin. Those that are theoretical and those that are physical. I believe you are the latter."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, I can't help you by describing it. You're just going to have to take my clothes off and taste me for yourself. C'mere."

_**

* * *

Hermione's Coda [27th December]**_

It's only been a day since Sirius discovered the leftover Allure that was trying to break down Holly's ego. Despite this knowledge and Natalia's valiant attempts to physically reassure Holly of her essential attractiveness, Holly's mental state remains quite guarded. Natalia reluctantly returns to her Auror duties after a late breakfast (and a brief conversation with Moony), leaving Holly and Hermione some time together in the Madhouse, accelerated.

To help open her up to trust her friends again, Hermione suggests that they share memories once more. Agreeing to the logic of the idea, Holly and Hermione set to Rapport together while lying down in their bedclothes. They spend hours rummaging through each other's recollections.

The girls re-awaken, with Holly a bit morose and Hermione intensely thought-minded. After a few moments each of mental re-adjustment, they lay back on the bed, separated by a foot of open space.

Holly snaps out of her introspection and turns to Hermione. "So- do you prefer sharing memories this way, or through the Pensieve?"

"I'd prefer... whichever suits the purpose. It's not the same. In the Pensieve, I see what you think happened, with some embellishments and interpolations from the magic used. In your mind, I get to feel your emotions and hear your thinking, but there's always less detail, and so much more background noise- pain, anxiety, lust, anger, irritation. Sharing memories like this isn't about learning so much as... understanding. Bonding. Thank you, for this. I know it's been hard for you to trust me until recently. I can even understand why, now. But I... I don't think I'd want to do this regularly. U-unless you think I need-"

Holly reaches over to touch Hermione's shoulder.

"You don't have to visit my brain, anymore. I think you've got the essentials."

"Holly... you didn't deserve any of it. None of it. Whether you are Lily, Harry, Holly or the Spiral, nothing you have done earned you so much trouble in your life."

Holly raises her head to brace it with her hand. "Really. Lily performed an arguably unholy rite to stave off death and used her own son to carry her soul forward, in order to seek revenge against her murderer and all those that contributed to ruining her life. This is noble?"

"They started it! Besides, that is a very negative interpretation of events- Lily didn't expect to survive. She was trying to end the cycle of death and fear. And even if the route she took broke the laws of God and Man, it still doesn't mean you deserve to suffer."

"I don't know if I can believe you. What you're saying, I mean- you saying it actually gives it more weight."

"Thank you. Now, I have a question."

"Yeah?"

"Is it possible for you to make love with me without putting my life at risk?"

Holly rolls her eyes and flops back onto the bed. "I suppose we'll never know if we don't try."

"That's right." Hermione climbs over Holly, reaching down to draw her into a kiss.

Holly accepts the kiss until Hermione licks her lips with her tongue, wanting more. She leans back into the mattress, startled. "I... I was just teasing-"

"I wasn't. I am done fighting this. I am... mildly... bisexual. I have been attracted to four women in my life. You are the one I find most attractive, and the one I care for most. These loving kisses mean much to me, but you also make my heart flutter. I... sing inside when I feel the force of your passion; when you kiss me the other way."

"You really want this? For yourself, I mean- you're not just doing this for me or something."

"Yes, Holly. I want you." Hermione stares down, almost angry with the strength of her conviction.

Holly seems to pause in thought, then she leans up and begins snogging Hermione. A few teasing nibbles from the bushy-haired witch and Holly jumps up to fling Hermione down onto the bed and snog her deeply, wrapping her arms around her head. As they kiss, Holly twists and rubs her body against Hermione's, intertwining their legs in the process of her enjoyable friction-making.

Holly breaks their snog with a giggle bursting up from her center. She smiles with tears in her eyes, and then re-engages Hermione in the type of fervent kiss they last shared before Holly was aware of her origins. Joy empowers her ardour for a time, and then suddenly she stops, dropping Hermione back to the bed while holding herself far enough above Hermione for her to see Holly's stern expression.

"Wait. It'll bug me the whole time if you don't fess up. Who are the four?"

"Uh! You're unbelievable! (Sigh) You, Padma, Natalia and Princess Diana."

"HAH! I knew it! You were so jealous of how calm I was that day, and not just because I made you blush. Admit it!"

"I just did! Fine... yes, you were right. 'Diana looks smashing in that dress' should be considered as reliable a statement as 'water is wet'. Why else would I let you fondle me to ecstasy in a nearby alleyway?"

"Because I was willing and able."

"You were always willing. You never would say no to me."

Holly relaxes, laying partly next to Hermione but keeping her body close with all her limbs. "I wanted as much love as I could get. You were my only source for it, at the time. You were my everything. How could I deny you?"

Hermione begins to scowl in concern."Holly, this is where you're wrong. You've always made me feel like I'm someone better than I am. I never deserved your worship."

"Depends on the viewpoint. You've seen the life I led, up until I met you. Put yourself in my unfortunate skirts. Wouldn't you covet that precious trickle of affection from your best and only trusted friend? Try to make affection flow like the raging river that you hope runs beneath the restraints of her civility? Wouldn't that affection mean as much as the praise of saints, since it's the only joy you can remember feeling, ever, in your life?"

Hermione finds herself trapped in Holly's stare. After a moment, she lets tears fall from her eyes and cups Holly's face with both hands, in sorrow and affection.

"I suppose I would, at that." Hermione draws Holly into a kiss. A long, apology kiss. As the kiss progresses, Holly relaxes more, letting go of her grip around Hermione's body. When they finish their snog, both witches lay back on the bed, staring up at the canopy.

Holly breaks the silence. "So. Am I forgiven?"

"For what?"

"Turning you gay." Holly turns towards Hermione and smiles.

Hermione turns and stares at Holly's face for a moment, then runs her gaze up and down her friend's body, in a way that makes Holly pant.

"I make my own choices. You just woke me to some feelings that I might never have acknowledged, in a different life. Like the one that's making my mouth water right now."

"Really?"

"Yes! In case I haven't mentioned it, nowadays you are actually quite... delicious."

_**~o~**_

Later, Hermione emerges from the bedroom to find Holly sitting in the reading chair, only she isn't reading. She's staring at a lit candle on the Octogonagall table.

Hermione walks up to her friend, and then kneels in front of her chair.

Holly turns from the candle and gives Hermione a prim smile. She leans forward and kisses Hermione's lips, but is startled when she feels her friend's hands slipping into her robes, and then pulling back to caress her breasts. Holly tilts her head back and moans, but her expression darkens. Holly smiles grimly, turning to look at Hermione. "C'mere."

Hermione smiles back with a certain glee and moves immediately to engage Holly in a kiss, but her lips are stopped by Holly's hand. Holly looks into Hermione's eyes with sympathy.

"I love you. Now stop trying to be me. Natalia has sex a lot because she's Natalia. I have sex a lot because it keeps my nightmares to a minimum and because I'm involved with Natalia. You don't need to be our bed partner."

Her speech done, Holly slips her hand down from Hermione's lips and draws the girl into a warm hug. "I love you. You don't have to prove anything."

Hermione whispers into Holly's ear, "And what makes you think I wouldn't enjoy being your bed partner? I enjoyed it just fine last winter, and now I have a new lover to teach me more about my body."

Holly leans back to stare at her friend in a challenge. "To what end?"

"Well for starters, I believe my endurance is increasing. I'll never have a body like yours, but I have every intention of running away from scary monsters, and the longer I can run, the safer I'll be. "

"Good point. We should add exercises for our RE-class."

"Agreed. I also believe that I shall one day meet the man that is worth adding to my life, and I want to be able to please him so that he can please me."

"What would such a man look like?"

"His appearance isn't the issue. He should be smart, funny, loving, attentive and supportive."

"A genius house-husband. You're fixating on Woody Allen."

"I MEANT someone passingly attractive and somewhere within our age range- I just don't have any particular bias for height, colouring, or magical background."

"Ah. This generation's Denzel, Antonio and Sirius all qualify. No hunk will be denied an opportunity to worship at your feet?"

"In a nutshell. I have no designs on your adoptive father, of course."

"For once, Moony wins. I think that's only the fifth time since they left school. Well, since your quest is doomed from the start, we shall keep your body occupied for the interim."

"The interim?"

"Until you find Mr. Perfect or we give you another heart attack."

"Ehmm... that's not a goal, is it?"

"Hell, no. I want you around for a century."

"Good. Sometimes I'm not sure if Natalia knows that."

"Sometimes she forgets- that's what safe words are for. I have another sex-related question; since you usually prefer to keep a clear mind to facilitate your studies, why would you want us to muddy it up by stimulating your hormones?"

"I am almost sixteen and therefore stimulated already. Also, thanks to you, I have had a few epiphanies while in the throes of rapture. It can be liberating to find oneself unshackled by the constraints of logic."

"Explains Luna."

"Nothing has yet explained Luna, nor your acceptance of her crimes against us. Why did you forgive her?"

"She's mental."

"I told you that, some time ago."

"No, I mean she's really mental. She actually takes medication and could use some counseling."

"You've accepted an implicit insanity plea?"

Holly smiles. "In a nutshell."

With a sudden yank, Holly draws a long strand of thread away from Hermione's waistline. As the last of the strand snaps into the air, her clothing falls in sections to the floor. "I see you're ready. Now, how about you take off my clothes?"

Hermione curls her smile into a devilish grin. A triple-sweep of her wand accompanied by a whispered Latinate phrase and Holly's clothes tear away from her body to follow the arc; like tissue paper caught on a fish hook.

"You've been practising."

"No- I just invented that one."

"Seriously?"

Hermione parts her lips just a bit and then licks them, seductively. Holly jumps out of the chair, scooping her lover up in her arms (eliciting a delightful 'yelp') and walking over to drop her onto the Octogonagall table. The animate furniture absorbs the shock and returns Hermione's giggling, naked body to a working height. Holly looks down on her friend from her position at her side.

"I love you, Hermione."

"I know. I love you, too, Holly."

Holly clasps her hands together and bounces up in a very girlish manner. "Oooh! I don't which part to play with first!"

"I suggest the lips, personally."

Holly flips an imaginary coin in the air, catches it and proceeds to inspect a freckle on her forearm. "Ah! TAILS!"

Hermione gasps as Holly moves to grab hold of her knee with one hand, the other tracing a path along her inner thigh that is followed by some very quick but wet kisses...

_**~o~**_

At some point, they moved back to the bedroom. The two girls now lay naked atop the bedcovers to cool off, though they each have a leg wrapped with the other's. Both girls slowly move to caress their lower legs together.

"I don't see us doing this much after the holiday. I don't want to interfere with your and Natalia's happiness."

"God, you're still locked into this? Natalia won't be jealous unless you shut her out. I'll never choose between you, aside from which one looks to need my loving first. No doubt that'll commonly be you."

"Why?"

Holly smiles. "Natalia and I will continue on happily, once we've knocked you unconscious."

Hermione scoffs but nods in agreement, turning to engage Holly in a slow snog. They continue to kiss and embrace for a few minutes until Hermione slumps back into the mattress from fatigue. She moves some stray hairs out of Holly's face, smiling sadly. "Still, such complete devotion is a hard act to follow. You've ruined me for both women and men, you know."

Holly smirks. "Hardly. You'd prefer someone to say no, to make it a negotiation. You get turned on by the argument."

Holly disentangles herself and rises from the bed, then walks around the perimeter and heads through the concealed door to the loo.

Hermione leans up on an elbow, calling to her friend in the next room as she hears her attending to an overfull bladder.

"Perhaps so. But where am I going to find anyone worth the arguing?"

Holly's voice echoes from the open doorway. "Padma is actually open to re-examining Sapphic love, just not with me."

"Why not you?"

"She expects to be killed by collateral damage from my being a demi-god, if we have sex or even start to like each other too much, I suppose."

Hermione hears Holly flush and then wash herself for a few minutes. The witch returns with a sly look in her eyes, padding back to the bed with purpose.

"Hmm... the jinx on those mortals, like Odysseus, who are touched by the gods. Maybe we shouldn't-"

Holly kneels onto the bed and shoves Hermione's shoulder back to the mattress. She then leans down to take Hermione's right nipple in her lips, rolling and teasing the sensitive flesh between her lips and with her tongue. Hermione's resulting sigh and moan give Holly a satisfying shiver.

"...(Hahh!)... bother with talking right now..."

Hermione takes one look at Holly and shuffles her position lying on the bed to wrap her mouth around her friend's right breast. Hermione kisses, tickles and laves the soft skin hanging down into her mouth, teasing the nipple into a hard point that Hermione then scrapes her teeth against before looking back up into Holly's eyes.

"Did that tell you anything?"

Holly smiles. "No, but this did." Her hand slips down between Hermione's thighs to her right and swirls around the wet and swollen vulva that has responded to Hermione's excitement. She brings two fingers, moist with Hermione's lubrication, up to her lips and sucks on them, gazing with lust down at Hermione the whole time.

Hermione stretches her face up to re-engage Holly's breast in her mouth and reaches her own hand over to where Holly's snatch is spread open by having her legs splayed out in a frog-crouch. Hermione's fingers slip between the open-spread lips and easily find the soft nub of Holly's clit. She rubs some of the girl's prevalent lubrication around the swollen bud. Holly moans and grinds her own fingertips between the damp folds of Hermione's sex. Both girls groan from their respective stimulations, vibrations from their voices sending further shivers into the skin where they are suckling each other...

_**~o~**_

Hermione frowns. Her mood has shifted- Holly can feel it without either saying a word.

"You're upset about something."

"I just realised- you lied earlier, when you said you didn't bring me here to seduce me."

"No, I just answered a different question than you asked."

"Hollllee-!"

"Alright! Yes, I lied. I wanted you so awfully that I was willing to break your mind and all sorts of rules in order to get you back in my bed! Happy? Feeling wanted and desirable now?"

"I would be, except that you did it almost to prove a point- that no one can defeat you. I'm in your bed to prove that no one could take me away from you. Congratulations. I am your naked trophy. With the competition ended, I can be placed on a shelf and admired occasionally as you go about your life. You'll take me down and give me a good rub every once in a while to make sure I'm still shiny under the layers of neglect."

Holly's look is one of mixed guilt, confusion and defiance. Hermione reaches out and caresses her face, offering a smile.

"Please... forget this. Don't mind me- it's just a harsh way of looking at it. I'm not as offended as you might think. I have no doubt of your love for me, and I know I've been an untrustworthy companion. It hurts a little, knowing that I mean less to you now because Natalia has filled your heart in the ways I never could. You really are best suited to each other. Somehow, I feel grateful to be included in your intimacy. You truly have... "

"Have...?"

"...bent my morals out of all recognisable shape!"

"I'm sorry. I am. I... needed this, and I can't even really say why. Your explanation makes as much sense as any. After all this, I'd understand if you didn't want to-"

"Holly, I don't know how I _will_ feel. I can't quite figure how I feel, now. So, no promises. We shall finish this voyage of debauchery in the West Country together, and I shall chart my further course when the time comes. Until then, my only limitations are physical. I shall do... whatever I can do, and evaluate it later."

Holly gives an evil grin and flips over to rub her hip against Hermione's. "Welcome to the cult of Astarte. Our motto is simple: 'as much as we can, as often as we can.'"

"Is this a real cult? Was that really the motto of Astarte's followers?"

Holly glares at Hermione, and then gives her a sarcastic look. "Right. I dug up lost writings of a dead cult on one of my whirlwind vacations in my excessive free time; because ancient Phoenician is an easy leap from modern Greek. I have no idea! We're just playing! Bloody well relax a bit!"

Hermione glares back at Holly. "It's you that needs to relax- I was trying to tease you into an argument."

"Oh. Is this how we're going to flirt, now? I think it needs some work."

_**

* * *

NAT [29th December]**_

Hermione walks into the kitchen of the Nautilus while reading a book. She idly notices Natalia sitting at the breakfast table reading through a stack of newspapers from both worlds.

"Natalia, is Holly around?"

"She's out with Padfoot, practicing with the cycle. Where's Moony?"

"He said he needed to return to Belgium on business. Frankly, I think he's overwhelmed by the lingering scent of our... um... excitement."

"Ah."

Natalia reads for another minute, and then notices that Hermione hasn't moved in the interim.

"You need something, Kittyhawk?"

"Yes."

Hermione puts down her book on the counter and turns to face Natalia as she looks up from her paper. Hermione stares into her eyes for a few seconds. Natalia stares back, noting the look of...

Both witches explode into movement, Natalia ripping off Hermione's house coat while Hermione takes hold of Natalia's Quidditch jersey to pull it up off her body. A brief tangle of limbs is deftly minimised, and Natalia is soon moving to sit up on the kitchen table, while Hermione strips out of her knickers. Hermione fairly jumps onto Natalia, pressing her down onto the table before climbing up her body to engage in a deep kiss.

Natalia wraps her arms loosely around Hermione's naked body, caressing her shoulders, down her spine and taking a grip on the girl's rounded arse.

Hermione's kissing is accompanied by a single hand holding Natalia's face up to hers while the other keeps her suspended above the other witch's body. With her positioning, Hermione is able to twist her body across the sensitive points of Natalia's, a squirming that becomes more pronounced when Natalia takes hold of her arsecheeks.

They both moan before breaking the kiss.

"You... are... the embodiment of sexuality."

"Thank you, sweetie. I love how you kiss and you have a great arse to go with those fantastic legs."

"But I've been horrible to you. I want to make up for it by-"

"Hey! You wanna do me a decent? Stop talking unless you have to scream."

Natalia flips Hermione off her body and begins kissing the girl from the neck downward. Her hands shift Hermione's limbs out of her way to stroke and caress numerous sensitive locations on a typical girl's body, checking for positive and negative reactions. Within minutes Hermione is gasping deeply (and Natalia's kisses have only made it down just past her navel!).

"You... you are... masterful..."

(Kiss, lick) "That's no scream, but thank you for the compliment."

Hermione raises her head in a daze to respond but is cut off when Natalia skips down to lick the prone girl's privates from perineum to clit in a wet, wide, probing stroke of the tongue. Hermione's hands grasp at Natalia's hair for a moment, but release their grip when she arches her back in reaction to Natalia's skill.

"I- AAAIIIIGGHHHEEEEEE! OH GOD! GOD IN HEAVEN! OH FUCK!"

Natalia slips off the table to get a better angle for her licking. Her tongue returns to the base of Hermione's sex, allowing an even slower stroke to progress, agilely slipping between every crevice as she passes. Her tongue-tip flips forward into Hermione's vagina just as the rough center of her oral muscle scrapes across Hermione's clitoris. Hermione's abdomen clenches noticeably in her excitement, and her moans rise into a faint cry that eventually exceeds human hearing.

Holly walks in, somewhat exhausted and distracted. She doesn't notice the commotion on the kitchen's island, as she is preoccupied in unstringing her boots and hanging her leather jacket by the door.

"Hey, Talia. I've decided to wear knickers from now on. Riding that thing makes me so wet I'm afraid I'll slip off the seat if I don't have something to absorb-"

"UhhhhFUCK! YES! GOD! DON'T STOP! AUGH! AUGH!"

"I see lunch is served." Holly smiles. She kicks off the boots finally and quietly walks over to where her lovers are focused on each other. She steps forward to stand at Hermione's side, then tilts at the waist to lean down and take one of Hermione's nipples into her mouth, propping herself above the countertop. Hermione's eyes pop open wide and she starts to struggle away from her lovers only to find herself held in place by four much stronger hands. Her cries of enjoyment come faster but less coherent as she rides the wave of a second and third orgasm.

"MmmMMMOOOAAAghh! Unh! Unh! Unh! Unh! UUHHHHHHHNNNN! FUCKYEH! FUCKYEH! OHH! OHH! OOOOAAAAHHHHHH! (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) P-p-p-p-pllleaaaseee..."

Holly shifts position to free a hand, moving it immediately to stroke and massage Hermione's unsuckled breast, the other hand still holding the girl down at the shoulder. Her laving of Hermione's teat takes on a worshipful attentiveness, and Hermione's breath comes out ragged from her heaving chest.

"...ssssttoooooppp..."

Natalia continues penetrating and stimulating the witch's sopping sex, gripping the girl's legs at the hips and pulling them wide apart for ease of access. She scrapes her teeth across Hermione's clit and receives a satisfying outcry for her effort.

"...AAAIIIEE... (Gasp!) (Gasp!) ...p-p-p-p-plllleeaaasssee..."

Holly pulls Hermione's breast up by the nipple, allowing it snap back down with a guttural whine for response. She turns towards Hermione's face looking for the signs of rapture from her lover, but instead she notices Hermione crying, eyes tinged with a stomach-churning fear that has her slowly shaking her head, while at the same time gasping in ecstasy.

"Oh, shit. Natalia! SCURVY!"

"Wha? Okay." Natalia snaps back from between Hermione's thighs and stands away from the table, her hands splayed low by her sides to prevent any accidental touching. She sidles over next to Holly, staring at the girl on the countertop with trepidation. She wipes her mouth off on her bare arm.

Hermione mewls in a mixture of tremulous sensitization and a mild weeping, her legs immediately clamping together. She then curls into a foetal position on her side, with her back to her friends. They can barely hear her mumbling "T-t-too much. It's too much."

Natalia looks down with a guilty expression, turning her head away to nuzzle into Holly's neck. She says to the room, "I'm... I'm SO sorry, Hermione. I guess I've kinda gotten used to Hols and she... I'm sorry!"

Holly hugs Natalia's head for a moment, kisses her temple, and then disengages to step up to the table. She carefully leans down to whisper in Hermione's ear without touching her.

"Hermione, my love. I've been through this. It feels horrible, being so completely spun up and sensitive. Believe me when I say, the best thing for you is to grab hold of something warm and grip it tightly until you feel okay again. Do you want me to hold you?"

"N-n-no. It sh-should be Nat. Give me Nat. I need her."

Natalia turns, smiles tearfully, and then climbs onto the table to face Hermione, wrapping the tremulous girl into a tight embrace. It is quickly reflected by Hermione in an almost desperate way. She wraps her thighs around Natalia's leg and begins clenching repeatedly to work out her anxious overstimulation.

Holly pulls out her ashwood wand and conjures up a down comforter that she lays across them.

"Right answer, Hermione. I love you both, and I'm not unhappy with this. Natalia- don't start up anything again. I already killed her once that way."

"Got it, boss."

Holly stands next to her lovers, idly stroking Hermione's hair for a minute. She then lets out a heavy sigh.

"I'll leave you be. Maybe put up socks on the doorknobs, yah?"

"Say Hols, where _is_ Padfoot?"

"He seduced our waitress. Either he'll be back later or I'll bust him out of stir after supper. I'm going to borrow your toy, alright?"

"Really? That bike must be something."

"Right now, Hagrid seems like he _might_ be adequate for my needs. You two and that engine make me love-crazy."

Hermione squeaks out from within Natalia's embrace, "M-mission accomplished."

All three witches smile.

Holly exits the room through the swinging door, headed down the hallway towards the den.

Hermione and Natalia embrace tightly on the table, occasionally shifting their grip when muscles get fatigued. Hermione adjusts to unwrap her legs and move them to slide against Nat's. She finally begins to breathe normally. Several quiet minutes pass.

Hermione whispers from within Nat's arms, " Has... has she really taken something that large...?"

"Hah! No. She was totally exaggerating- Gordon's actually a little smaller than Harry. I don't see any good reason to oversize a todger; if anything there is a sweet spot and rods too much longer should be classified a mutation. Thicker can be fun, but the potential pain isn't necessarily worth it. Even using our tongues, there's only so much length Hols or I need before it gets unwieldy."

A few more minutes pass in quiet breathing for the two witches. Natalia whispers into Hermione's hair, "So... you're calling me Nat?"

"It's written on your canvas rucksack. Isn't that short for Natalia?"

The older witch giggles for a moment. "Figures your mind would overwork it. Those are my initials."

"For?"

Natalia grumbles a moment. "Ehh... urr... (huff). Okay, I'll tell you, but don't spread it around, alright? My full name is... (sigh)... Nymphadora Aphrodite Tonks."

"That's right- from the Marauder vow. So you actually are the goddess of love!"

"Hols says I'm a disciple of Astarte, the Phoenician goddess of 'sex-is-what-makes-it-worth-waking-up-in-the-morning.' We're a rare but scrappy fellowship."

A giggle floats up from within Natalia's embrace. A moment later, she raises her head from the table slightly.

"Hermione, did you just lick my nipple?"

Hermione responds in a sing-song fashion, "There certainly isn't anyone else down here."

"Oh, it's on."

"Your turn. You just sit back and let me test my skills for a bit. (Slurp!)"

"OOohh! Yeah, you just... follow your instincts there... Hime..."

Hermione stops her explorations and climbs up from beneath the coverlet.

"What was that you just called me? 'Hee-may'?"

"Hime."

"I don't like people to shorten my name."

"I wasn't. It's Japanese for 'princess'. I don't mind 'Nat', but it's not exactly complimentary."

"Oh. Well I suppose that's fair."

"Speaking of fair..."

"Yes?"

"Lick me, princess."

Hermione smiles and ducks back beneath the comforter. Natalia gasps almost immediately and begins to hum in delight.

_**

* * *

Triskele [December 31st]**_

The bedroom of the Madhouse is quiet, aside from the sputtering of a few low-burning candles. That quiet is interrupted, first by the mild hum of a blue wave of magic sweeping over the room, and then by a 'pop'.

Natalia rolls over, away from Holly and Hermione's sleeping forms to see a calm little elf waiting patiently at the end of the bed.

"What's up, Winky?"

"I's has a message for Mistress."

Natalia rolls back and shoves Holly in the shoulder, waking her naked paramour. Holly squints and grumps as she rises to sitting. "What? Why am I awake? What day is it? What?"

Winky curtseys briefly before answering. "Mistress, Winky has a message from Moore of the Deputies."

"Is there a problem?"

Hermione sleepily rises from the other edge of the bed amidst the fuss. "What happened?"

Winky ignores the other girl in the bed and simply recounts the message. "Moore says, 'You utter bitch; I'm allergic to chocolate. You owe me a date. P.S.: four incidents intercepted with no crimes worth reporting. Pomfrey is a bit busy, though.'"

"Thank you, Winky. That's brilliant!"

Hermione gives Holly a questioning look. "And Moore is...?"

"Sixth year Hufflepuff prefect; Muggleborn; likes to run marathons."

"Oh."

Natalia adds, "And that's 'Erin Moore', as in..."

Holly sighs and then recites, "As in, 'Erin, if you keep licking my breasts so nicely, I'll make you cum so hard your immaculately-conceived babies will come out quivering'. You like that quote too much."

Hermione bursts into laughter so suddenly that she falls off her side of the bed.

Natalia smiles. "I'm not the only one!"

"Yeah, that's when I recruited her for the Deputies. She was going to leave us with just our brief tryst but called me back to thank me. "

Hermione rises from the floor, still giggling. "Th-thank you?"

"For giving her the opportunity to enjoy sex before finishing the NEWTs, seeing as the rest of Hufflepuff is straight and 'annoyingly busy'. When I asked her why 'Talia never inducted her into the joys of sex, she seemed quite annoyed."

"Annoyed or no, she was five years behind me and untouched. I do have some rules."

"Right. Half eighteen plus five means she was a year shy... then."

"Exactly... wait; 'then'?"

"She's seventeen, now. That date request is for both of us. I don't believe we'll be going into Hogsmeade."

"THREESOME?"

"Belated Happy Christmas, Natalia."

Natalia starts jumping on the bed. "I'm... Gonna... Have a... Daisy... Chain!"

"That's also good news for you, Hermione."

"How's that?"

"You've been given a reprieve on becoming the middle of our sandwich."

"Oh. That's... what?"

"You don't have to be a part of an extended girl-threesome, since it hasn't worked out for you."

"Oh. But I still can, right? The option is still open?"

Natalia stops bouncing on the bed with a stunned expression. She slowly turns a deranged half-smile towards Hermione and Holly.

Holly smiles. "Rested up, are we?"

Hermione turns to give Holly a mild and prim expression. "Just because I'm in Gryffindor doesn't mean I lack ambitions."

"Winky, that will be all. Thank you."

_**~o~**_

As promised, Holly and Natalia continue together once Hermione passes out from exhaustion. They relax into a cuddle after several more alternating orgasms.

Natalia holds Holly to her chest, twirling a lock of her fringe between her fingers.

"How's your heart, lover?"

"Healed, I think."

"That's good."

"Hmm. I think I've had enough soft body caresses for a bit."

"Yeah?"

"Yup. Why don't you switch to Gordon and we can start christening all the furniture in the new house?"

Natalia smiles wide. "That could take a few hours!"

"I know. We'll have to wait for the boys to wake up before we can use their beds."

"Is this another dodge? You're not doubting your want for girly company of a sudden, are you?"

"'Talia, it's this simple: I need you to pound my cunny with yer hot cock. You might say I'm having that urge."

Natalia changes shape, but instead of her Gordon Knot persona, she appears as a blond, tanned man of similar age with a strong diamond-shaped face and greyish-blue eyes.

"Ah. Mr. Pitt, I presume?"

The blond man grins attractively and then responds with a deep voice tinged with an American accent. "Yeah. I got a good look while we were watching that Ludlow movie."

"Sort of where I'm drawing my inspiration."

"I must be readin' your mind."

Brad-Tonks' friendly smile is answered with Holly's own. She wraps her legs around the well-defined muscles of his waist, grinding her pelvis in a curve until his hard manhood pokes at the entry to her pleasure. Holly impales herself slowly onto the heated pole, releasing an emphatic moan of enjoyment.

"MMMmmmmust be."

The lovers stare lustfully into each other's eyes. A moment later, the sound of Holly's gasp of pleasure is cut off when both people disappear with a loud 'pop'.

Hermione's head rises briefly from the bed at the sound.

"Finally. I thought they'd never leave. Hope they don't splinch. That could get ... gruesome."

Hermione stretches her body out beneath the covers, letting out a loud groan of pain.

"(Sigh.) Never again, girl- you simply do NOT have the endurance... or the elasticity. Must... sleep... then read... then... sleep... then eat... then read... and... heal... (groan)..."

Dobby appears with a 'pop',

"Ehmm, is Miss Grangey wanting the time squeezer to spin again?"

"Yes, please."

"Then you should get up, silly witch. I can't start it for you."

Dobby pinches her arse, then disappears with a 'pop'.

"Ow! Stop doing that!"

_**

* * *

Advice from the Author-lizard [early 2nd January]**_

Hermione is sitting at the desk in the library of the Madhouse. She carefully places a large corner-slab of agate onto a piece of parchment. With a tap from her wand, the runes on the stone glow briefly, and voice begins to emanate from the rock. The voice sounds very much like that of Lily Evans Potter, at least as she sounded from her Origami 'howler' found in the Evans strongbox. What is being said, however, comes from the writing on the parchment, applied by a six-ounce inkblot in the shape of a lizard.

"This is much better. I feel like a proper person when I'm heard as well as everyone else."

Hermione looks towards the inkblot as she responds. "I apologise, Newt. Honestly, it had slipped my mind that you've been here the whole holiday. Have you had any fun?"

"Are you joking? With as much sex as you all have been having, I'm ready to publish another anthology. I would have enjoyed capturing your encounter with Moony as well."

"Yes, well, I think you should stay away from wine glasses until you have a better sense of your tolerance. That said, there was no encounter to speak of. I only tried to seduce him to illustrate how his coupling with Nat was only barely appropriate for the difference in their ages. It seemed the kindest point to use as a lever to end their relationship."

"Wasn't that really Natalia's responsibility?"

"I owed her, for everything she has taught me, and for how much she's forgiven me for being a wench to them both."

"I doubt Natalia would see it as a debt."

"All the more reason to reciprocate, in my mind."

"How are you feeling?"

Hermione stops for a moment, sitting back in the desk chair to think.

"I didn't mean to-"

"No, no. That's really what I wanted to talk to you about. Newt, what am I to Holly?"

"About five inches taller."

"Newwwt!"

"(Giggle!) Sorry- it was too easy! I would guess that the answer is a question; what do you want to be, to Holly?"

"Her equal. I want a voice, too. I've been studying like mad this whole time, whenever I wasn't trying to keep pace with those two, and yet I don't know what I'm studying _for_. I love knowledge, and gaining it is nearly as fulfilling as food, for me. That said, using that knowledge for a purpose can be..."

"Orgasmic?"

Hermione blushes. "Yeah..."

"I'd say that you're studying to understand the conflict that Holly is aiming to fight. You're also studying to gain the practical skills with magic that will make you most effective in solving problems in winning that conflict. What do you want to do?"

"I want to make this fight mean something more than just 'us vs. them'."

"Maybe you should be in charge of Harry's actions, then. Holly doesn't seem to be having too much trouble being trouble, but neither of them is much good at inspiring people to act, especially people they've never met. So far, Harry's just... Harry. Humble and important, yet meaningless."

"Of the three of us, I have the least to do with Harry's actions."

"Maybe so, but Mum and Natalia respect your opinion. If you tell them what a public hero should be, they'll do their best to follow your instructions."

"Do you really think I have that much influence?"

"I think you'll be surprised how much influence you can have, but influence isn't a rainy day treat. It's a muscle- it only gets stronger when used regularly."

"I've never heard you talk like this before."

"People change. Now, I'm building up my muscles!"

**

* * *

Fun with media references**:

'That Ludlow movie' is Legends of the Fall, released that very winter. You can just imagine the popcorn they threw at the screen when Julia Ormond says, doe-like, "I'll be waiting, Tristan. I'll wait for you, forever."

Thankfully, they kept watching long enough to find out that she didn't wait like she said she would.

**Hols**: "Ah. Weak-willed AND inconstant."

**Hime**: "Yes, but she was from Massachusetts. What would you expect?"

**Nat**: "Hang on; the lads were from Montana. They're all Americans."

**Hime**: "Yes, but their hearts were Canadian."

**Hols**: "Yup! Meat and liquor for everybody!"

**Some waspy bloke sitting behind them**: "Will you be quiet?"

The girls trade a look between them, and then turn to face the man.

**Girls**: "Umm... no."

**

* * *

Author's post-script**: For those annoyed at Holly's less-than-monogamous attitudes as displayed in this Tangent, I offer this option: if it bugs you, consider Erin to be a fantasy. Whether she and Holly ever became sexual is up to reader preference. It was simply already written when I was collecting these smut pieces together, and I honestly can see it working either way. And yes- real lesbians do have one-night stands and casual relationships.

Especially if they're involved with polyamorous nymphomaniacs.


	15. 9503 Hollyleujah

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work.

**Spiral Tangent**: '9503 - Holly-leujah' - Holly recovers from almost dying again. Neville expresses his feelings about it.

**Placement**: March 1995; after Chapter 47 'Subsurface Tension'

**What you need to know**: Holly Evans attends Hogwarts in place of Harry Potter. Holly is known to be much like her namesake- prickly and poisonous, but what only a few know is that Holly really is Harry, or at least she was born Harry, and now she can become Harry much as an Animagus becomes their totem animal. Most days, Holly prefers the intimate company of women, but Neville Longbottom has proven himself to Holly over four years to be a noble example of his gender. Kinda.

**Author's note**:

There is sex described, but less than I originally intended (or certainly could have included). Still, there's fondling; oral; beginning hetero; another hetero sample and plenty of kisses all around.

Also, this is an attempt to write in past tense instead of present like I normally do. Let me know what you think.

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Neville had been waiting for a miracle to save the life of Holly Evans, and when it came, he was busy betraying her.

Not betraying, perhaps. He was consoling her best friend, Hermione. These two girls, so different in his eyes, were yet so much a part of his landscape. HJE & HJG; the most important women in his life, even moreso than his Gran. Their lives were tied together as well. When one was injured, the other suffered. He cared for them both, and kept his favorite memories of them close to his heart.

Hermione helping him find Trevor on the first train ride.

Holly giving him a Valentine.

Hermione consoling him when that Greasy Bastard humiliated him once again, which ruined his concentration enough for Neville to humiliate himself more.

Holly recruiting him to help smuggle a baby dragon from under Filch's watchful eye.

Hermione crying in his arms when Holly was found in that Slytherin abattoir.

Kissing Holly at the platform. Dancing with Holly at Lammas. Holly kissing him for pranking the twins. Holly choosing him over Viktor Krum. Dancing with Holly at Yule.

So many of these memories occupied the 'best moments of my life' section of his head, that he wondered how it was that he knew so little about them.

For instance, he was sure up until yesterday that Hermione was only attracted to women.

After all, she did everything with Holly. At least, she did up until their sudden disagreement last year that culminated with Holly's arrest for killing Flint. Sure, once Holly was sent to Azkaban (shudder), Hermione was seen looking fondly at Ron and at Seamus, but everyone knew that nothing happened with them. Seamus was very clear about that (much to Neville's relief). And once Holly had returned, so did their companionship, along with Hermione's smile. Holly's smile was there too, but tinged with pain. It took them only a short while together to heal their friendship. Surely, that meant Hermione was really... like that, as anyone in Arithmancy would attest. (Why maths magic had anything to do with lesbianism was beyond him, but he knew not to argue with that sort- most of them were Ravenclaws, and they could debate circles around his head.)

So, when Hermione had approached Neville to interrupt his vigil in the Healer's wing an hour past curfew, he had no problem offering the intensely-smart and subtly-pretty witch a shoulder to cry on once more.

"I was RIGHT THERE, Nev! (Snif) I was right there and... and then there was the dagger... and she acted so quiet and distracted. How could I have MISSED IT?"

At that point, Madame Pomfrey emerged from her office at a speed of bustling that communicated an entire novella worth of warning. Neville gathered up his fellow Gryffindor and led her away from the quiet hospital space.

Once they realised that wandering the halls so late would guarantee a detention with someone disagreeable, Hermione led them through secret tunnels and back passages, attempting to return them safely to the Gryffindor dorm. They were doing well until Filch nearly caught them on fourth floor, and they ducked into the WWRX space to avoid detection.

By this time of night, Lee had queued up the overnight selections of quiet pieces and left everything on automatic. The room was barely lit by the little lamps that showed which turntable was active and the small meter that showed the current output volume. They moved carefully so as not to jostle anything.

Neville offered, "I know you're upset, and I can't sleep. Do you want to just sit with me here for a while? I'm a pretty good listener, even if you don't want to say anything."

Her sigh of relief sent a thrill along his spine. "That would be wonderful. Thank you, Neville."

Hermione led them around the equipment tables to the growing collection of albums filed on shelves. Aside this library of vinyl was a small lounging area often used by the Marauders to discuss spell and prank ideas. Hermione directed him to their comfortably lumpy couch.

Neville sat back at one corner of the sofa. Hermione lit a few candles on the side tables, and then sat next to him. She arranged his arm around her shoulder and then leaned into his hold. After a few minutes of adjusting, Neville found himself cuddling the girl in his arms. She was stretched out along the couch with her head leaning back against his chest and his arms around her waist, as she had guided them.

He sat quietly, listening to Hermione's breathing as it began to ease. A troubling thought left his mouth before he could stop it. "You wouldn't rather be doing this with Harry, would you?"

Hermione's breath hitched and she twisted around to look up into Neville's eyes with tears flowing freely.

He attempted some amateurish repair work. "I- I- I didn't mean to say... I mean, are you... did you break up?"

Hermione's tears continued. "No. No, it's nothing like that at all."

"Oh. Well that makes sense."

Hermione sniffed away her tears and then gave Neville a confused look. "It does?"

"Well sure. I mean... you aren't really dating him, are you? That whole thing seemed awfully contrived. For sure, your heart clearly belongs to Holly."

Hermione rose from their cuddle and turned to face him with what seemed like irritation. The look was countered by the huskiness in her voice, confusing Neville further. "Let me make this clear. My heart is my own, and while I love Holly, she is the exception to my usual desires."

"I... uhh... thought that you were... "

Hermione leaned up close to Neville, causing a dryness in his throat that cut off further babbling. Hermione must have been able to sense his discomfort, because the next thing Neville knew, she was kissing him so deeply that he was sure she was trying to provide relief for his parched voicebox with her tongue.

Neville just ran with the experience, his heart beating madly. He visualised this mad thumping as sending shockwaves into the breasts pressed so firmly into his chest, and his heart raced even faster.

When Hermione pulled out of their kiss, trailing little pecks onto his lips and jaw and chin, he was sure he had gone deaf from the sound of his own heartbeat.

Wrong again. He clearly heard Hermione whisper, "I'm fond of you, and I feel very alone right now. Would it be alright if we slept here together, tonight?"

"Whah... whu... buu... huh?"

Hermione placed a calming touch to his shoulder. "Neville, I know that you've been watching over Holly. I know that you fancy her, but at this moment we don't know if she will live through the week. My problem is, I don't know if I will survive without her. I... lost my parents last month, and-"

"You did? Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"Yes, thank you. I'm recovering as well as can be expected, but Holly is the closest thing to family that I have left, and she's dying. Do you... could you find it in your heart to share some affection with me? I just feel very, very alone, and you are someone I know I can trust."

"I... have dreamed of this moment. Are you sure I'm not just dreaming again?"

"You've dreamt of me?"

"Yes! I knew that it was an impossible thing, but you and Holly are the... you _are_ love, to me. When you started dating each other, I really lost hope there for a while, but then Dean and Holly had that... date."

"Oh! Don't remind me. It was my idea."

"Your idea?"

"Yes. Well, I wasn't inclined to seek love with girls at all, but Holly convinced me to share affection with her and it was... (gulp)... revelatory. But to dissuade any intentions she had towards becoming a couple with me, I suggested that she explore the other option as well."

"I don't get it. If you loved her, why send her to another, much less a boy?"

"Because, I'm not a lesbian!"

"Oh. Yet you just said-"

"YES, alright, I am... a little. But like I said, Holly is the rare exception to my normal intentions. Anyway, to clear up any further confusion you may be under, I had never looked at girls that way until Holly suggested it. She had been secretly in love with me since... well since I was petrified, I guess. No wait- since first year, when I told her that I would be very put out if she should die in her confrontation with Professor Quirrel."

Neville's brain began to spin faster, while trying to fit the pieces together. "Holly... is the lesbian?"

"Yes! Well... not entirely. Most of her sexual encounters have been with witches, mostly because Dean left... (giggle)... a bad taste in her mouth!"

That was the final straw that dislodged Neville's sanity, and the two Gryffindors fell into a hysterical laughing fit for a few minutes. Once they calmed down, Neville's mental balance returned and he groaned a little. "Oh, we are simply awful. Hermione, I have been in love with both of you longer than I can remember. I just seem to want the things I cannot have, I guess."

Hermione looked at Neville, wide-eyed in shock. She squeaked slightly before whispering, "You're... in love with me, as well?"

"Well, I... "Nev stopped himself before he tried to make excuses for his feelings. He abruptly realised that he was experiencing a well-timed moment of courage. He stared into Hermione's chocolate-brown eyes and calmly stated, "Yes. I love you, both."

Hermione's look in return was tinged with fear. "N-neville, I have a question to ask you. A very unfair question; in fact, several unfair questions. I'll understand if you don't want to answer them, but I would hope that our friendship can stand a few... uncomfortable truths."

Neville stared at Hermione for a long moment. His response was a tentative nod.

Hermione settled back on the couch, facing him. She looked down at her hands in her lap. Neville caught himself admiring how the lights from the radio equipment danced in her eyes, making them seem like... something magical.

Finally, Hermione looked up at Neville and asked, "Which of us do you love more?"

Neville's heart stuck in his throat. It seemed to him that this was a question slightly more dangerous to answer than 'what is the worst thing that you have ever thought of doing?'

He drummed up his courage and answered, "H-holly. She's... done so much for me, and... excited me... challenged me. Holly doesn't think I'm ready for some difficult situations, and I know that's why she keeps me at arm's length, but I think she loves me, too. Also, I don't know how to explain this but, she's... older than us. I love her, but I can't quite figure out whether it's as a sister I admire or as a witch that I want to... want. She doesn't make it simple, either."

A pair of tears raced down Hermione's face as she listened, but she nodded genuinely with a smile when Neville got stuck at that thought. "She's different. I'll grant you that. And I understand what you mean about her age. Neville, if you could have a wish fulfilled about you and I and Holly, what would it be?"

"Ahh... hmm... well, not to be a feckless boor, but just that sentence creates all sorts of wild fancies."

"Neville! You dirty, dirty wizard!"

They shared another laugh before settling into another potent silence.

It was Neville's turn to break the quiet. "Hermione, I didn't stay with you here to hurt you. You're having a hard time of it; I can see that. I care about you, deeply. Can I offer you any sort of comfort, tonight?"

"Yes. I think... I'd like for us to cuddle together for a little while. Just hold me and make me feel safe. That would be wonderful."

Neville sat up suddenly and drew his wand. "Oh! I can do this- you have to let me do this!"

"Do what Neville?"

"Just stand up from the couch a moment."

Hermione followed the instruction. With a moment's concentration and a very careful wave of his cherry wand, Neville transfigured the couch to double its normal depth.

"I did it- it worked!"

"Yes, you did. That will be perfect."

Hermione stepped forward to look up into Neville's gleeful expression. A moment later, he was engaged in a tender kiss. His arms very naturally wrapped around her, drawing her close.

They kissed for a while, and then separated to lie down on the widened couch. Neville hopped in first, looking up at Hermione with affection. Hermione smiled back and removed her light work robe, revealing a set of red silk pyjamas. Doffing the matching set of slippers, she sat down and curled herself into Neville's quite stunned but welcoming embrace.

She sat up again and turned to Neville with an impatient look. "Nev, could you at least take off your shoes?"

"Oh, right!"

Neville sat up, took off his shoes and robe, pulled out his tie and loosened the buttons at his cuffs. He settled back down and Hermione joined him, spooning up to his front and drawing his arms around her. Once Neville remembered the relaxing joy that comes from regular breathing, he pulled a blanket over them and settled in; to sleep with a pretty girl who was wearing very little, in comparison. It took another hour for him to relax enough to actually sleep.

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Hermione woke to the very enjoyable feeling of having a man's arms wrapped around her. One hand was cupping her right breast, having slipped between the buttons on her pyjama top. The other was resting on her belly. Without thinking, she stretched into the man's grasp and felt the wonderful auto-response of having her nipple stroked. Between the stretching sensation and being gently fondled, her ardour rose hot in her belly. She ground back into the crotch of her bedmate, earning a renewed tingle from his subconscious caresses in response. A deep rumbling moan vibrated into her neck and Hermione gasped in pleasure. The hand caressing her chest shifted enjoyably, incidentally unclasping two of the four overlarge buttons barely holding the silk top together.

She continued to shift and grind in the embrace of her companion, using her own hands to guide the motion of his larger hands over her breasts and down between her legs. Her breath came short after a minute of these motions, and she leaned back into his nuzzling to whisper her enjoyment. "Harder. Make me come."

It was then that Ginny Weasley leaned over onto the back of the couch, looking down at the two with a knowing smile. "Ehmm... hello, sports fans."

Neville's eyes popped open in tandem with Hermione's. Both Gryffindors then leapt off of the couch as if they had discovered it filled with snakes. A brief fumbling and stuttering ensued and the two babbled incoherently in an attempt to explain the circumstances of their pre-conscious fondling.

Ginny giggled in enjoyment of their hijinks before raising her hands to calm their worries.

"Hey, makes no never-mind to me. I just didn't know you were there until Hermione started moaning. Besides, I thought you both might enjoy hearing some timely gossip- Madame Pomfrey thinks she's cured Holly."

Both dropped their jaws in response. "What?"

"Yeh. She's been watching her carefully all night and whatever she did is working. Hols even said a few words to her, apparently. I got this from Moaning Myrtle while I was in the loo a few minutes ago, so you know it's at least got a chance of being true. You should... clean up... and go see her. Don'tcha think?"

Neville bowed his head. "Uhmmm... yes. We should."

Ginny smirked and turned toward her fellow witch. "Hey, Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Nice jammies. Especially without the buttons."

Hermione blushed at first, wrapping her top closed and then turning away to carefully rebutton it. Her modesty reclaimed, she then snapped a defiant gaze towards the redhead. "Like them do you? And here I thought you had no interest in Luna's sort of horseplay."

Ginny blanched. "What did you hear?"

Hermione's eager grin communicated her superior position. "Details. All. Sorts. Of details."

"Truce?" Ginny held forth her hand as if holding a teacup.

The witches hooked pinkies and shared a stern gaze. Hermione intoned, "Shared silence, sister."

"Done."

Neville let out a sigh. "Thanks, Ginny."

The redhead moved her hands to her hips and gave him a scowl. "You look a little flat for a sister, Mr. Longbottom. I may not be planning to mention Hermione's choice of bedclothes or sleeping arrangements, but your antics on this couch can easily be discussed while never confessing the identity of your cuddle-mate."

"You wouldn't!"

Ginny giggled. "Clearly, you are suffering from some sort of memory loss."

"I'll owe you?"

"You certainly will, Mr. Longbottom. Don't you forget it, neither. Now, if you don't mind, I get to be famous for another two hours. Behave, or my gossip will be broadcast school-wide."

(Gulp).

Hermione watched as Neville raced out of the station room. She turned to Ginny with a desperate look. "I need you to swear to me that you're not going to tell Holly about this!"

"What's your worry? She doesn't go for blokes."

"She's... been seriously considering him as an option. I think they'd be good for each other, but none of that will happen if you stir things up about my... moment of weakness. Please?"

"I don't get your relationship, arrangement, whatever, with Holly, but I won't say anything. But Hermione, what do you feel for him?"

"Umm... mostly that it can wait. This school seems like a poor place to seek a lifelong companion."

"Have you told Holly that?"

Hermione stared at Ginny for a moment before replying, "Holly's time at school may be the full length of her life. I wouldn't deny her an opportunity for love and joy for anything."

Ginny frowned and nodded. "Fair point."

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Neville and Hermione entered through the hospital doors an hour later (scrubbed up and in fresh clothes). Madame Pomfrey looked at them and muttered to her patient, "Do these two qualify?"

Holly slowly leaned up to see past the privacy curtain. "Eh. Close enough."

Madame Pomfrey finished her last diagnostic and then retreated to her office, giving all three a glare of warning as she left that spoke volumes.

The two Gryffindors walked up to Holly's bed as she flopped back into it. At closer inspection they could see that Holly was still deathly pale, but her mood seemed up. Neville kissed Holly on the forehead and then looked towards Hermione. "You get first crack at her. Uhh... I mean-"

Hermione giggled nervously. "Thank you, Neville. I'll just take a minute."

Neville smiled and stepped back beyond Holly's privacy circle. Hermione made a quick wave with her wand to activate the inscription on the floor. The curtain walked itself around the barrier to enclose them.

Hermione leaned down and gave Holly a strong hug. Holly kissed her neck as she released her to return to standing. After smiling at each other for a moment, Holly rasped, "What's with him?"

Hermione blushed. "We've been waiting for your recovery... together."

"Oh. Good for you."

"No! It was nothing like that! We were just keeping each other company... without wanting anything to get so... out of hand."

Holly looked at Hermione with a pleasantly surprised smile.

"(Huff!) I mean, there's a significant unresolved issue hanging between us three."

"Hanging? How low?"

"Holly! Just... give him a listen."

Holly's expression soured. "You really think now is when I should ruin his life? Sex with me tends to have a jinx-like effect, as you've recently discovered."

"I didn't say 'drag him into a closet and take his innocence'; I just think he's finally prepared to express his feelings for you."

"Hermione, please explain to me how this won't lead to his destruction? I'm in love with Natalia. I sleep with other women as they become available, mostly to keep a demon at bay."

"You only keep that demon at bay by feeling love from others. This man loves you, powerfully. From a purely empirical standpoint, he is a resource that should not be ignored."

"That sounds more like the 'drag him into a closet' plan. What's going on?"

Hermione glared at Holly. "Don't you think having mutilated him and nearly gotten him killed affords him the right to know more about why his life was threatened? He thought I was just using him for comfort because Harry wasn't around. I couldn't tell him that if you died, Harry would be dead, too! Neither of us can have anything real with him until he knows the truth, and if anyone should tell him, it should be you."

Holly slumped, nodding in agreement. "Alright. It's time. I don't know how we'll get onto the topic but I'll think of something. Anything else you'd like to say? You're sorta on a roll."

"I'm very happy to see you awake and healing."

"Are you? You sure about that?"

Hermione glared again. "Yes. While you were at Death's door for your semi-annual stare-down, it occurred to me that you are my entire family, now. If you go rushing to shuffle off this mortal coil, I will be completely screwed. Don't. Do that. Again."

"I wasn't planning on being stabbed in the back!" Holly looked down at her blanket with a doubtful grump. "I just forgot my own advice, is all."

"Which advice?"

She smirked up to her friend. "Don't dismiss the short ones. They'll surprise you."

Hermione cackled at the sudden change in tone. "Ha ha hah! Alright, there are all sorts of other things to discuss, but I'll catch up with you later."

Holly interrupted her departure. "Hermione- any word from Tonks?"

"No, sorry. Winky won't look for her just on my instructions, and Dobby can't come here to be asked. Professor McGonagall may know a bit more."

"Y'know, you can call her 'Mum', too."

"No, I can't. I have a Mum. She's just... I've just lost track of her, for now. They may think I've died, but I didn't. Maybe that will shake their hang-ups loose."

"Maybe. Strength, lover."

Hermione reached down to kiss Holly's cheek but instead got a pair of warm, tender lips for her efforts. They kissed for a minute, until Holly broke the snog.

She took Hermione's hand in her own. "Hey. I love you. All ways, always."

"Yet another sin to reconcile."

"You've a decent brain. Consider it mental calisthenics. Now, send in the sacrificial lamb."

Hermione smiled as she moved to exit. Holly could hear her whisper to Neville as they traded locations at the edge of her privacy barrier.

Once Hermione had left, Neville ducked into view. His first surprise was seeing that Holly already seemed to have more life to her.

Holly looked up at Neville with a faint smile. "Mr. Longbottom. It is my understanding that you have sat vigil over my chilling corpse these last days."

"That's not funny, Holly."

"Sure it is, 'cause I lived. Anyway, I'm really glad it was you watching over me. I'm so sorry about getting you involved in this Task."

"Then... I really am... the 'thing you'd miss most'?"

"What?"

"Well, that's what the hostages were described as-"

"Pfft! Talk about swallowing the propaganda!"

"Well then, why was I chosen as 'the thing you would sorely miss'? Why not Ron, or... or..."

Holly began listing out options to explain. "Hermione was already pegged for Harry... or Viktor, depending on how you look at it. Professor McGonagall had greater responsibilities. My friend Natalia is nowhere to be found. Sirius is in exile. The only other obvious choice would be Luna, and thank Heaven they didn't choose her or I'd never shake her loose. Besides, you were my date for the Ball, which explains why the judges misjudged Viktor's priorities."

Neville face fell. "So that's all, then?"

"Nev, sit down."

"I don't think I should."

"Nev, sit down so I don't need to crane my neck to look at you. You're a bleeding pine tree."

"Oh!"

Neville sat in the chair beside the bed and Holly turned on her side to face him. She rearranged her pillows to best angle her view.

"Neville, you don't want to get too close to me."

"Says you."

"Yah. Says me. Says the fact that most everyone near me gets their life torn up. Did Hermione mention that her parents have thrown her out of their family?"

"She said she had lost them. I thought she meant that they had died."

"I went back and told them that she threw herself into the Thames from the pain of their rejection, so the results are about the same."

Neville stared at Holly in stunned confusion.

Holly flushed in shame, a sharp contrast to her thinned-blood paleness. She stared down at her hands. "See, that's what I'd like to avoid. You were nearly killed in this Task because you're getting too close to me. You had the sense to reject me at the Yule Ball as not being in your league, but now you're back and trying to get yourself killed in order to be near me. You are the moth, drawn to 'flaming me'. Please... go and find another moth to flutter about with. Seeing you safe and happy would... please me, greatly. I'm getting tired of hurting the ones I love." Holly then gasped slightly, realising the meaning of her own unintended confession.

Neville's heart raced. "Holly, I ran from you at Yule because I thought I couldn't measure up. Originally I thought you saw me as a little brother, a safe date for the Ball in place of going with Hermione, but then you were flirting and being... VERY sexual with me and I couldn't believe that my dreams were about to come true. I then realised that they weren't. Because I wasn't worthy."

"Nev, you are worthy. You're worthy of better than me!"

Neville leaned forward from his chair to lift up Holly's face and stare into her eyes. She was surprised by the fierceness of his gaze.

"No one. No one I have ever met is better than you."

Holly scoffed and teared up a little in response. "Then you need to get out more."

Neville dove forward, kissing Holly forcefully. She responded in kind, gripping his head and running her fingers into his hair. They both moaned into their kiss. Neville broke them apart when his muscles started complaining about the bad positioning.

As he shifted to sit at the edge of her bed, he said, "I love you so much."

Holly grumbled and a few more tears escaped her eyes. "You have a death wish."

Neville shook his head. "Maybe I just want to save you, for once. You've been saving everyone else for a while. Why not let me take care of you for a bit?"

Holly blinked several times, and then reached to firmly grasp his hand in hers.

"We are not continuing this conversation here. Grab that Cloak out of my rucksack and come with me, please. I need to do a jailbreak and you've been drafted to be my accomplice."

Neville scowled at first, but then reached over to the side table to collect up Holly's belongings and pull out the Invisibility Cloak. At the same time, Holly rose up from her bed, donned several pieces of jewelry from the side table and then tapped her foot, causing her hospital tunic to be switched out for jeans and a green pullover, with a hint of maroon lace peeking from her décolletage. After a moment's fumbling with the Cloak, they had themselves covered and Silenced, escaping Madame Pomfrey's care with a shared giggle that only they could hear.

Once outside the Hospital doors, Holly grabbed Neville's hand and led him down the corridor. They traveled under cover of the Cloak, weaving past the students talking together or lounging away in the sunlit corridors.

After being led up several staircases and along a few odd hallways, Neville finally spoke. "Where are we going?"

"Took you that long to ask?"

"We're somewhere I haven't been before. Up until that last turn, I thought we might be headed for the Astronomy tower or that warm outdoor patio."

"We're almost there."

Holly led Neville for another minute before stopping in front of a large tapestry. She stepped out from beneath the Cloak and then walked a few times back and forth, after which a door appeared in the opposite wall. Holly once again grabbed Neville's hand and drew him in through the door, closing it behind them.

Neville was stunned to find a familiar set of furniture within. "It's the Gryffindor common room."

Holly turned to face her friend, correcting him. "It looks like the Gryffindor common room, but it's actually something else. I want to sort this out away from any interruptions, but someplace that you'll find comfortable."

(Gulp) "Alright."

Holly stepped forward, taking his hands into hers. She looked up into his eyes. "Neville..."

"Yes?"

"If I tell you I love you, will you make love with me?"

"W-what?"

Holly just stared up at Neville with a blank expression.

Neville replied, "I... I think maybe we'd be moving a little fast..."

"If I tell you I'm sorry for cutting off your foot, will you make love with me?"

"But that was just what you had to do. I don't blame you for that. Besides, Madame Pomfrey reconnected it just fine."

"Still, not a friendly gesture on my part."

"I know, but I forgive you completely."

"Thank you. Will you make love with me?"

"Holly! What is your problem?"

"My problem is that you want me to give you solid answers but you're unwilling to offer me the same."

"I just... I want..."

Holly snapped, "What, Neville? What do you want?"

"I- I- I... "

Realising her mistake, Holly softened her voice. "Neville, as angry as I seem, I really do want to know what you are feeling and thinking about this."

"I... "

She offered, "You want me to guess?"

"Ehmm, that might help."

Holly scowled briefly, and then turned to lead them to the couch. "Have a seat."

The two sat facing each other on the couch in front of the fireplace. Neville's worried state was fairly obvious. Holly just seemed irritated.

They sat for a while just looking at each other, though Neville only took furtive glances before turning away to look into the fire, or at his shoelaces, or at the weave of the upholstery.

Holly whispered, "Neville, I'm sorry for making this hard for you. I'm going to say a few things that may seem rude, but should cut to the heart of the matter, alright?"

"S-sure."

"My guess is that you are attracted to me sexually, and that makes everything else you feel for me seem unworthy of mentioning. You also feel that you owe me, for all the things I've done for you over the years."

"Um, yeah. Right so far."

"Must make it hard to express yourself when my breasts are in the way."

Neville looked up, startled, to see Holly smiling at him. He began to snicker.

"I mean, they just float up in the middle of a conversation. 'Oh, Holly. Did you see that sky last- omigod it's TEATS!'" Holly emphasized the point by lifting her breasts up within her sweater like they were floating in water.

Neville burst into all-out laughter.

"See, I know it was easier for you to talk to me before, but ever since my sudden maturation, you've been tongue tied." Holly sticks out her elongated tongue, wrapping it into a knot. "Gashhh, Howwy. I weawwy wike youw dwess! Wiw you dance wimme? I twook wessowns..."

Neville's hysterics started him to crying and he fell off the couch in a laughing fit.

While Neville was distracted with rolling on the floor, Holly stood up from the couch and pulled her top off, tossing the garment onto the floor. She then reached behind her back to release the clasp of her maroon lace bra, removing it as well. Neville looked up at this point and his laughter turned into a difficulty with catching a breath. His eyes bulged out.

Holly smiled down to him. "Weawy somefing awen't theyw?"

Neville couldn't help but giggle, but he started to hyperventilate when Holly stepped forward and sat down on the floor astride him, pinning his legs beneath her.

She untied her tongue and whispered, "Neville. It would make me very happy if you and my breasts could get along. First, an introduction." Holly grabbed Nev's right hand and drew it to her left breast, cupping his fingers around the swell.

"I... uhh... what are we doing?"

"You're caressing my breast. I'm helping." Her expression darkened. "Are they... ugly, with the scars?"

"No! Not at all! They're great. Uhh, better than they looked at Yule, even."

"They can't hear. You have to tell them things by touch, Nev."

Neville gently squeezed the warm flesh, rubbing his thumb across the areola. Holly let out a gasp and clutched Neville's hand more tightly to her when he attempted to pull back.

"That was a good gasp, Nev. Don't stop."

"I-I-I don't know what to do."

"What's your instincts say?"

"Kiss you."

"'Bout time!" Holly smiled as she leaned down to share a kiss with Neville. The tender touch of lips distracted Neville from his breast-work. Holly pressed her body down into his grip, and touched her tongue to his lips. Neville opened his mouth slightly and Holly's tongue began to explore inside.

Neville finally remembered about his right hand and squeezed her breast, kneading it. Holly's acceleration in kissing convinced Neville to continue the massage. Holly made short gasps into Neville's mouth and drew his other hand to match efforts on her other breast. Once both were being teased and squeezed, Holly wrapped her arms around Neville's head to re-engage in the snogging. Their activities became more heated with the passing minutes, both teens breathing heavily in between snogs. Holly also twisted her body in Neville's grasp, adding complexity to his breast massaging.

Holly pulled back a moment, urging, "Pinch them, Nev. Tweak my nips with your fingers."

Neville followed the instruction, leading Holly to gasp desperately, grinding her pelvis on Neville's thighs. Within a minute, Holly was forced to break their snog, throwing her head back and moaning in ecstasy.

"Hnnnn, yeah... YEAH! YAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Holly continued pressing herself down on his legs, shuddering through several cycles of attenuating stimulation. When she was once again calm, she opened her eyes to stare down into Neville's shock-frozen face.

"That was great. Next time try biting them. I tend to scream more."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Neville, I have been tortured, crushed, poisoned, whipped, shot, stabbed, and... well, raped. You'd really have to try hard to hurt me."

"I... um... I think we should stop."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"I suppose that was a bit of a mood-killer. Sorry." Holly sat up, clambering up from the rug to straighten her trousers. Neville stood as well, changing his view from supplicating to authoritorial. A very concerned look clouded his face as he looked down towards Holly.

Holly smiled tentatively and reached up to cup Neville's cheek. "What are you thinking?"

"Aside from 'wow; breasts!' I'm wondering if you brought me here to seduce me."

"I did."

"Why? And not just a little quip- really tell me why, Holly."

"I feel bad for cutting off your foot. More than that, I'd heard about you laying siege to Pomfrey's office, trying to care for me. It reminded me of when Hermione was petrified. Also, it is the collective opinion of some very learned women in my confidence that you are hopelessly in love with me, and there will be nothing to change that unless I address it directly."

"You're seducing me to get me to stop loving you?"

"That's one way to look at it."

Neville smiled. "I think you're taking the wrong approach, then."

Holly returned a genuine smile. "Yeah. Sometimes, Neville, I don't want to be right. I want to be wrong. I want to lose. And right now, I want you to prove me wrong about one of my biggest assumptions."

"Which is?"

She rolled her eyes in a tease. "I like girls better in the sack."

"Holly..."

"Alright! What I really think is that I can't be happy with you. That you and I together is a recipe for disaster. That I will ruin you if we get too close. That... if I get involved with you, I'll lose my way. You are a wonderful man who places much higher value on me than I deserve. This also reminds me of my feelings for Hermione, which puts my beliefs about you being deranged in question. So, between my doubts and your acts of devotion, you've earned a shot to prove me wrong."

"So, to prove you wrong, I have to make you happy?"

"Basically. Like most women, I also get happiness from giving happiness, so really, we both have to end up happy."

"What's the first step?"

Holly smirked. "Less clothing, of course. Are you ready for this?"

The panic on Neville's face was almost painful. "I don't know!"

"Good. Now you have a learning opportunity, as well. I always feel better about doing something risky if I can find more than one reason to do it."

"Holly, this isn't what I was intending. W-why do we have to jump to sex?"

Holly scowled at him. "We don't, but I've wanted you for a while now and if we're going to try to have something together, I'd like to get to the good stuff before Fate kicks me in the head again!"

Neville stared at her for a moment, trying to read her true intent. "Holly, it would make me so happy to... do everything you're hinting at doing. I don't get why it's happening. You almost seem desperate to... have sex with me. That can't be right."

Holly scowled and slumped down onto the couch. "Busted."

Neville sat down next to her, focusing on her troubled expression. "Why are you doing this?"

Holly turned her face to his, and reached her arms up to grasp his shoulders. Her eyes seemed to open wide, as if her defenses were being relaxed. She whispered, "I nearly died again. I tried my best to do my best and all I got for it was a knife in the back. There are times, when all I want to do is run away. I don't need this grief, but I'm saddled with it. When I get hopeless like this, I... I want to feel loved. You've been trying so hard to be there for me, and all I've done is tease you and push you away and belittle you. Then, I had to mutilate you. I can't think you'll keep worshipping me, when all you get for your trouble is grief like mine. So here we are. Two people attracted to each other, who owe each other, like each other and want to help each other."

Holly drew Neville closer using the hands on his shoulders and by straightening her back, which incidentally brought her breasts to his attention again.

Neville licked his dry lips and tried to redirect the discussion. "Are you sure you're up to this? You've barely recovered."

"You promised to take care of me, Neville. I need your love. I need you to show me love. I can explain later, but right now, this is the most powerful thing you can do to protect me. My body will rise to the occasion, I promise."

"I don't understand."

Holly gripped his shoulders tighter. "Make me feel loved!"

"I DO!"

Holly began to cry in frustration. "I need to feel it! I need you to-"

Neville leaned down and engaged her in a kiss. She immediately wrapped her arms around his head and snogged him fiercely. His arms encircled her waist, but she pulled back slightly to liberate her hand. She pulled his left hand from her waist and up to cup her breast. Once that was set, her hand slinked between their chests and unbuttoned his dress shirt, all while they continuing their fervent kissing.

He broke their kiss and leaned backwards. Holly used the opportunity to slip his shirt off and disengage his belt faster than he imagined possible. Again, Neville was amazed as she used tandem one-handed motions to unbutton both their trousers. With the zippers pulled down, she let go of his pants to stand up and strip hers off.

Neville stood as well. He was caught in a moment of rapt fascination as Holly knelt down, naked, in front of him. A swift double-handed motion from her and his pants and jockeys were down at his ankles, freeing up his quite rampant todger.

Holly's eyes goggled behind her frameless lenses. "Wow, Nev. I guess your talk about deep root systems comes from a personal perspective. And as for your worries about 'measuring up'..."

Neville swayed in both excitement and confusion. Holly recaptured his attention when her small hands pulled back the foreskin of his unit and she leaned forward to give it a wet lick.

"Stop!"

"What?" Holly looked up at him, green eyes alight with lust. Her hands were wrapped around his cock, the tip only an inch from her moistened lips. Neville was struck silent for a moment at the image.

Holly rolled her eyes. "I said, 'what?' What's wrong?"

Neville gulped. "You... you shouldn't do that. You don't need to do that."

Holly smiled slightly. "I know that. Don't you want me to, though?"

Neville's face darkened. "I'm not Dean."

Holly sat back for a moment, looking up at Neville with tears in her eyes. "That's... "She released his member and stood up to hold his face with both hands."You are such a sweetie. I don't see you that way. I'll wrap my lips 'round your substantial branch because I want to. I'm fairly sure you'll like it, and I'll enjoy the feeling of you enjoying the feeling. Okay?"

"But Holly-"

"This is for my benefit as well, Neville."

"How so?"

"You'll come. It'll be great. Then I'll get that stallion-sized rod ready again and we can take our time with the second wave. I want to feel you in me for a while. Trust me."

"You've done this before."

Holly paused, sensing the almost accusatory tone of his statement. "This may be difficult to... well, no. I'll make it simple. I've been involved with a girl who likes acting like a bloke. We use toys to help replicate the experience. I know of what I speak, but the truth is, you'll be the first wizard's pole I've let into my nethers."

"But didn't Flint-?"

Holly winced. "No, Nev. They just poked with their fingers. I stopped them before they got that far."

Both were calming down from their ardour from this interruption, so Holly took Neville's hand and led him to sit on the couch again. He fairly tripped into his seat due to the clothing around his ankles. They shared a laugh, and then he reached to pull them back up. Holly stayed his hand.

"Take them all the way off, Nev. Or I can do it for you, if you like."

"N-no! I can handle this." He bent forward, furiously removing shoes, socks, trousers and briefs before leaning back to look at Holly.

She smiled from her position kneeling on the couch.

"Now, I can handle this." She reached forward to take his rod in hand. Just seeing her do this excited Neville enough to come back to full engorgement. She pulled back on his foreskin once more and leaned down, enveloping his tip in warm, wet glory. In seconds he was panting, feeling her tongue teasing and licking around the first few inches of his cock. She added to his pleasure by dipping down to take a greater length into her mouth, and began to moan as if enjoying a very tasty sweet.

Neville used his last few independent neurons to stutter a question. "Does... does it really taste that good?"

Holly let his tip pop out of her mouth and answered, "Not really, but you have to admit, the vibrations from my moans make it worth the hamming it up, yah?"

Neville looked at her curiously for a moment, but was unable to focus his eyes once Holly had dipped her mouth over his rod once more, sliding her moistened lips down half way. She shifted her kneeling position slightly, and Neville was surprised by a tightening sensation around his cocktip. When he opened his eyes to look, he saw that Holly had taken his full length down her throat. The erotic image was intense, only to be exceeded when she gulped. He gasped, feeling the three second countdown to full orgasm. It came, causing his balls to contract and his brain to nearly explode in sensation. He barely noticed her pulling back off his cock and using her hands to pump the semen from his rod to land in trails on his abdomen. So enwrapped was he in his moment of ecstasy that he never noticed Holly collecting some of the ejaculate into a bottle that she stoppered and rolled beneath the couch. He simply lost consciousness.

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Neville woke to an amazing feeling, even better than the feeling of Hermione's breast in his hand that morning. His todger was once again being subjected to Holly's oral encouragement. He blinked his eyes open and shook his head towards Holly, who stopped licking the underside of his cock to give him a smile.

"And he's back!"

"H-how long was I out?"

"A few minutes. I cleaned you up and let you drift for a bit before working on sharpening your tool, here."

"Holly, that was wonderful."

"Thank you. I have a few notions on how you can reciprocate."

"Oh? I'll do what I can."

"That's all I ask." Holly stood up from the couch and straddled his legs, using one hand to guide his re-hardened cock into position. She carefully rubbed the tip against her soft folds, allowing her lubrication to saturate his tip. With a shimmying motion accompanied by frequent gasps and her own eyes rolling back in her head, she ensheathed his cock within her channel. Once settled, she opened her eyes to stare deeply into Neville's gaze.

"God, you just fill me up. (Gasp!) Nev, a few rules. If I say 'stop', you stop. If you say 'stop', I stop. Other than that, we can do this as gently or forcefully as you like."

"Forcefully?"

"We'll just see how it goes. Just remember one thing."

"Yes?"

"I'm tougher than you."

"I'll say! Weren't you mostly dead yesterday?"

"True, but I'm feeling-" Holly hopped slightly, her inner muscles clenching around his deeply-penetrated cock. "(GASP!)... mmmmmmmmuch better now."

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Holly woke to the annoying sensation of being poked in the eye. Her head swam as she tried to focus her vision, and she shook her head to try to clear the fog. The motion flipped Newt from off her face, but the inky lizard hopped right back onto her nose to hyperactively poke her cheeks with a claw.

Holly rose sluggishly, looking down at her naked body lying on the couch. She smiled at first, and then shivered at an unusual cold that seemed to crawl through her body. She finally sat up enough to take in her surroundings.

What started her panic was the sight of blood dripping from between her legs.

Holly sat up but swooned immediately, clutching at the couch cushions to stabilise herself. Once relatively balanced, she took a second look at the blood running down her leg to pool on the floor. This wasn't coming from her vagina- there was a gash cut into her thigh. She examined the wound and sealed it with a wandless Episkey.

"Wuh... Wun... Winky!"

The elf appeared with a 'pop'.

"I... need..."

"Oh! My Mistress! Winky will get the blood-doubling drink!"

"Perfect."

Seconds later, Holly was gratefully drinking down the thick elixir. Once her head cleared, she ransacked her things to retrieve her Marauder's Map.

Holly spotted Neville's label climbing the tower to the Owlery. She turned to the elf.

"You'll get there fastest. Find Neville- trip him, knock him out, do whatever you have to, but don't let him leave or send an owl. If you can take him down, bring him to the Chamber entrance. Got it?"

The elf frowned. "Winky isn't permitted to attack students or staff."

"Winky, he stole my blood."

The elf's face curled into a mask of rage and she popped away with enough force to echo within the Room for several seconds.

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Padma had been enjoying the relative quiet of Holly being bed-ridden. It figured that the moment she was awake, chaos would follow. The witch looked up from her research to see Holly enter the room, levitating the frozen body of Neville Longbottom behind her. With barely a warning of 'Clear the table!', she proceeded to drop the boy's body on top of her scrolls and collected books.

Padma stood up and immediately struggled to rescue the scrolls that were being crushed, giving Holly a glare worthy of her favorite Aunt Kamala, whom no man could vanquish.

"I have my own entertainments, Holly. Why did you bring him here?"

Holly slumped against the table, looking quite pale. "Well, I wasn't planning to share, but then Nev decided to bleed a pint from me and I took it personally. Hermione should be along in a minute. We need to figure out whether he's hexed... or if he's simply a dead man whom I haven't buried yet."

Hermione did join them then, and Holly nearly passed out several times while explaining the circumstance of Neville stealing her blood. After a few minutes of consoling Holly on her typical fortunes, they decided to bind Neville in a chair and see what he had to say for himself. A few minutes' preparation and Neville was revived to a dark room, facing three shadowed women in cloaks.

"Wh-where am I?"

Holly started off the interrogation. "You're in a hidden room. I need to know why you took blood from Holly Evans, and what you were going to do with it."

"I... Holly?"

"Yah. Talk, Neville. I'm not feeling charitable."

"Well, I couldn't take it before because it was tainted. Now that you're cured, I could get the blood and go back to my normal life."

"Nev, what were you supposed to do with the blood?"

"I need to send it by owl to this post-box in Birmingham, for Mister E. Could you send it along for me? It really needs to get there sooner rather than later."

"Nev, I don't want my blood given to anyone, ever. Why would you think I would?"

"It's going to help you. It's very important, and meant to be kept secret, but since you know already, that's fine."

Holly scoffed and raised her wand. "_Stupefy_. So, what do you think?"

Hermione re-lit the torches and pulled back the hood of her cloak. "There's obviously something interfering with his mind. It's quite subtle, since he seems to accept it readily, despite what we know of his feelings for you."

Padma was considering possibilities related to vampire servants when Hermione brought up a relevant recollection.

"I wonder if this has anything to do with those private lessons Professor Moody was giving him at the start of the year?"

"What lessons?"

"Professor Moody took Neville aside several times in the first two months of the year, I assumed to help him deal with his confidence issues. It certainly seemed to help, as Neville's casting has been improving quite a... oh, I'm really stupid."

Padma shook her head. "You did not suspect anything of it at the time. Only now does it seem obvious that the false Moody was interfering with his mind."

Holly groaned, "Yah, his brain's been pureed, and we know by whom and probably why, but what are we to do about it?"

Padma replied, "The obvious solution would be to have him given over to the Healers at St. Mungo's Hospital. They have specialists who handle this sort of enchantment, I would think."

Hermione turned to face her, "You would think?"

Padma shrugged.

Holly sat back and mused, "I don't think the St. Mungo's healers have much luck with mind fucks."

Hermione glowered at her. "What makes you say that, in as crude a way as possible?"

Holly glared back. "I'm tired, woozy and really brassed off, and they haven't made much progress with Neville's parents who were Cruciatus'd into catatonia over a dozen years ago. Besides, I don't know if having some unknown wizard rooting through his memories is a good idea for us."

"You'd risk his sanity to keep the Marauder's names secret?"

"He's not insane, just ensorcelled. It's recent enough work that I should think we can make a go of it."

Hermione sat down next to Holly and locked gazes with her. "Holly, I know you rarely change your mind once you think you have a solution, but in this case I think we really must get Neville's consent. His 'programming' may interfere, but if we can ask him without giving away what we're going to try to fix, he might be able to make the choice freely. I think that's the right way."

"Padma?"

"I would tend to agree. We have no right to invade his mind, but if you are confident that our talents may be able to help him, we should offer him the option."

_**

* * *

~o~**_

They waited an hour for Holly's strength to return before bringing Neville back to consciousness. This time it was just them, sitting around a table with some tea service brought by Winky to calm all their nerves. Holly had also brought forth a bowl of black cherry sours (made by Florean to be just like the Headmaster's lemon drops, only with a decent flavour) to keep their tempers even.

As the boy shook himself awake, Holly leaned in to whisper, "Neville, how are you feeling?"

"Confused. We were just... well..."

"Yeah. Something went odd and you were acting weird, so I brought you to Hermione and Padma so that they could take a look."

"What did you find?"

Hermione placed a hand on his forearm. "Neville, you've been affected by mind magics somehow. It was making you do things that were threatening your own life."

"Really? No one was hurt, were they?"

Holly also placed a calming touch, to his other arm. "Nothing important, but it looks like you could do worse if we don't try to fix it. The thing is... I don't necessarily want someone we don't trust poking around in your head. Would you be alright with it if we were to try and fix the problem?"

"I... I don't know. How much would you be able to see?"

"This could get very personal, Nev."

"Could... do you all have to see it?"

Padma, Hermione and Holly traded looks for a moment, with Padma being the first to respond. "I do not believe it will take all of us entering your mind to aid you, but we do operate more safely as a team."

"Then, can it be just Holly that enters my mind?"

Holly looked down and mumbled, "Are you sure you wouldn't prefer Hermione for this?"

Nev turned first to Hermione, then Holly before replying, "I trust you both, but I think Holly is more likely to... to..."

Hermione smirked. "You think Holly wouldn't be scandalised by your darker thoughts, is that right?"

Neville blushed and nodded.

_**

* * *

~o~**_

After an hour of poking around, Holly leaned back in her chair with a sour expression.

"It's like bad clockworks in there- there's many holes and plenty of jerry-rigged work-arounds."

Holly stared at Hermione a minute. Once their brief rapport was finished, Hermione offered, "We might be able to use the Pensieve to pull out some memories, so that you can see what's connected to that which is blocked and such. Neville, have you had someone try to work with your head before?"

"My great Uncle Algie used to sit with me on Saturdays. He said he was trying to wake up the magic in me, but that I was holding back because of the trauma. I'm not sure to what he was referring, unless it was about my... my parents..."

Holly gave him a reassuring one-armed hug. "Nev, I know what happened to them, but it looks like he was trying to fix the same problem for you."

"I don't remember anything from that night."

"It's a blessing, I'm sure. Just the same, this is going to take some time. Are you still alright with me doing this?"

"I couldn't trust anyone more."

"Girls, I'll take it from here."

Padma and Hermione looked at Holly with matching expressions of confusion.

"I'm going to get into this, using all my techniques at hand. It could get... intimate."

Hermione smiled and pulled Padma by the arm. "This will take a while. Let's give them some privacy."

"During which time, you will explain in more detail what is being planned?"

"During which time I will invite you to join us for Easter break at Holly's retreat, and explain why you will find that much more stimulating."

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Holly moved them over to the ritual room, where a comfortable overstuffed futon was available.

Neville looked at the dais surrounded by protective markings with some trepidation. "What... are you planning to do to me?"

Holly turned around to face him, giving him a warm smile. "Courage, young Gryffindor. I want to enter your mind fully. It's called a Rapport, but it's best executed after I put some enchantments in place to open us up to each other. This won't be permanent, but it will be... intimate."

"You keep saying that. How intimate?"

Holly rearranged the tiles on Perenelle's notebook to form the portable Pensieve, setting it on the futon for ease of access. As she was fiddling about, she explained, "I will feel like I am you, in your memories. At the same time, we need to be touching as much skin together as possible to aid the connection."

"As much..." His eyes goggled, much to Holly's entertainment.

"C'mon, Nev. It's me. Of course there's sex involved."

He smiled. "You're right. I should have guessed."

Holly applied several Warming charms to runes embedded in the floor's stonework, and then stripped off her clothing. Seeing Holly preparing herself, Neville also disrobed.

Holly led him to lie down upon the cushion with his head next to the tiled bowl. He watched as she walked around the room naked, retrieving a few items from a bookcase or a shelf. When she returned to the futon, she was holding an inkwell that looked to be full of sap, with a very small painting brush stuck into it.

"First, this is a ritual of bonding that you must agree to in order for it to work. Okay?"

"Alright."

She sat down on top of him, straddling his waist, and started drawing on his chest with the thick ink. Neville stared up at the naked witch as she concentrated on her work, noting that Holly appeared to be getting a bit emotional, as her eyes were getting watery.

Holly drew a set of symbols on the center of Neville's chest, and then cut her thumb with a flick of her quilltip finger. She added her blood to several points on the symbol, and then made a cut on Neville's chest which caused him to tense up and hiss. Drawing a drop of his blood, she reached up and mixed it with a single tear she had been working to generate. With a final inscription across his breastbone, she incanted a mumbled phrase and asked, "_Will you accept my bond of sacrifice, that we may understand each other_?"

Neville replied, "_I will_."

A sunshine yellow glow took hold of them both, causing the ink on his chest to seep into his skin. Holly was also affected, as she reflexively tossed the inkwell aside from the feeling of the magic rushing through her small frame. Holly then leaned down to lie onto of him, sliding her pelvis back so that Neville's swelling manhood was lined up with her moistening sex. She wrapped herself around his body with legs and arms, snuggling into his warm embrace. A deft shimmy and she impaled herself on his cock once more, accompanied by mutual moans of delight.

Holly leaned up to look him in the eye. "I would love to just stay like this, but we are here to accomplish something, so don't start pumping into me or anything, alright?"

"Wha-whatever... you say (groan!)"

"Neville."

He looked her in the eyes again.

"_Legilimens_."

_**

* * *

~o~**_

It took several hours, during which Holly would occasionally slip out of their memory-sharing to pull out a memory or put one back in. Over the process, Neville felt his mind opening up to things that had been hidden from him over his life.

First, of course, were the times that the faux-Moody had used a mix of Compulsions and the Imperius curse to 'program' his help in acquiring a sample of Holly or Harry's blood. The Death-Eater found that Neville's loyalty to both, especially Holly, required multiple layers of misdirection in order for Neville to accept his commands without question.

Going further backwards, Neville discovered the interference of his gran in Confunding him away from his attraction to Holly on several occasions to limited success. His Great Uncle Algie had taken a turn at this as well, though he seemed less convinced of the necessity of their interference.

Neville came to understand his Uncle's reluctance as they unraveled a series of mind spells applied in the years just prior to Neville attending Hogwarts, where Algie had been erasing memories of failed magic attempts and incidents of teasing by visiting children from other families. Neville's childhood only seemed lonely because his times of camaraderie were being erased to spare him the pain of embarrassing situations. While the actual incidents of humiliation were bound away, Neville continued to lose confidence and found it more difficult to reach out to others. Instead he spent time with his plants, who could never walk away and were always available to listen.

Holly stopped when she reached the earliest evidence of tampering. These memories were clearly the recollections of his parents' torture, as well as his own suffering and the weeks of traumatic stress that had followed.

"Neville, I can already tell you've got a lot to handle, to re-address in your mind. Do you really want me to unlock this? I can speak with some authority when I say that horrible experiences always do damage, and the way you heal from them affects your ability to handle things rationally, later."

"What would you do?"

"I'd... I'm not a good model for this, as I have a special circumstance that allows me perspective when things become frightening. If I didn't have that, I might not be able to handle just being in a room with other people, for all I've been through. The mind blocks out these sorts of things all on its own, to protect you. Leave this pain behind."

"Is that the brave thing, though?"

"Sometimes brave is letting go of the injustices you know you can never balance out. You know in general what happened. Let the details go, for your own sake."

Holly cuddled with Neville over the next few hours as he allowed his own liberated memories to re-teach him about his childhood, aided with the perspective of a little maturity and Holly's ready sympathy. He cried, he got angry, and he forgave some, while swearing revenge on others, sometimes humourously.

They fell asleep together that way.

When they woke up a few hours later, Holly gave him a strong, loving kiss. "You look like you're beginning to relax. You also look a little... stronger, I'd say."

"It's all because you were there to help me."

"No, you did the work. I just supplied some insight."

Neville sighed deeply and turned to face Holly, locking his gaze with hers.

Holly smirked and teased, "Something on your mind?"

He leaned forward and kissed her, communicating the strength of his emotions. When he finished, he turned their embrace to lift her on top of him once more. Holly straightened her arms and leaned up to get a better look at him. Neville leaned up as well, but he wrapped his lips around her right breast and began licking and tugging on the flesh. Holly let out a gasp.

"You... don't need to... pay me back... or-"

She was interrupted by Neville suddenly sitting up with his arms wrapped around her waist, moving to lift them both from the futon. Holly wrapped her legs around his hips and allowed herself to be carried across the room.

Rather than being placed on the nearby desk, she found herself pressed against the chamber wall. Neville adjusted their position, slipping his straining todger up into her channel with a forceful thrust. Holly gasped again, also feeling him engaging her other teat in erotic gnawing. Her pelvis was pounded into the wall with accelerating force, and her gasps became yelps and cries.

Neville continued his sexual onslaught with her encouragement. They bounced against the wall for a few minutes, and then Neville hooked his hands beneath her arse and lifted her to be placed on the desk. He re-entered her, increasing his previous pistoning into her seizing channel, while pressing against her Mons with the heel of one hand. Within moments, both lovers cried out in joy and release.

Neville stepped back and tripped on the edge of the futon, collapsing onto it. Holly slipped down from the desk and slinked over to where her lover lay panting.

"That... was fantastic! Where'd you get the notion to do that to me?"

Neville panted a bit, blushing slightly. "I saw a few of your memories while you were working on mine. You didn't say that your friend Natalia could also appear as a wizard. I saw... a bunch of memories of you with her being a him and taking you... aggressively. You seemed to enjoy that."

"I did. I do. I will."

"You will?"

"I'll give you a few minutes to catch your breath, Nev. Then..."

"Then?"

Holly grinned. Neville's heart skipped a beat. He figured that he didn't need that one, with as many beats as he expected to be having soon.

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Holly languorously crawled across Neville's naked and prone body, moving her head down to his crotch once more. She nuzzled over to give his raw equipment a gentle kiss. Neville whinged for a moment. "I can't. Curse my human weaknesses, but I can't, Holly."

"No harm- I just wanted to express my gratitude for a job well-done. (Kiss!) So. I'll bet you'd say that was better than the first time."

"Absolutely! It's the difference between a dried-up biscuit and... having the run of Honeyduke's!"

Holly turned around to give him an indignant look, her hair flopping over to her other shoulder, somewhat stringy with accumulated sweat. "Hey now! I didn't think my efforts yesterday were anything to sneeze at!"

Neville craned his neck to regard Holly's pale form. "Oh, of course not. I thought you meant compared to my first time, ever."

"You weren't a virgin?"

"Uhh, no. Though I guess I can see where you would assume that."

Holly grinned, walking her fingers along his chest to tease up goosebumps. "Well, I think you should dish a little then. Who was the lucky girl that opened your eyes to the joys of being a mammal?"

He relaxed back onto the futon to gaze at the ceiling. "You... you don't know her."

"Even better; you have no reason to hold back, since I won't be in a position to treat her any differently."

"I don't think I want to tell you this."

Holly sat up to kneeling next to him on the futon and looked down into his eyes. "You don't look embarrassed- you're afraid of telling me. What happened?"

Neville shuffled to sitting up as well. "Please promise me you'll keep in mind that none of it was my idea."

She squinted at him. "Alright, but now you have to be specific about what happened."

He sighed. "My Great Uncle Algie took me to Brussels right before the Quidditch World Cup. He had... selected an attractive local muggle girl who was Confunded into having sex with me in a hotel room, and then he Obliviated her afterwards. Before we left, Uncle Algie made sure she wasn't impregnated. It's a tradition. It's how many pureblood males are introduced to sex- we call it 'fielding', as in 'have you fielded yet?'. I've felt horrible about it ever since because I knew you wouldn't approve. I'm also probably at risk of some punishment from the Families for telling this to you, a muggle-raised girl."

Holly stared at him for a full minute before she began to cackle.

Neville's eyebrows lifted slightly. "I hope this means you'll forgive me."

"I'm considering it. What's got me tickled is, well, no wonder there are so many 'muggleborns'! (Ha ha ha hah!) Sperm live in the body for three days- checking an hour later would be inconclusive. If that's been happening all along, Lily and Petunia are probably only half-sisters. (Hah! Ha hahahahahah haaah!)"

"Why is this so funny to you?"

"Heh! Because it means all this tripe about pure blood is UTTER BULLSHIT! Hermione's not a muggleborn, she's an unrecognised genius from some curly-haired noble wizard's son. Probably Goldstein's half-sister, if you consider the resemblance. Also, you should probably see about checking whether the House of Longbottom already has an heir in the baking, due in... (hah!)... May!"

Neville's face screwed up in a panic. "Professor Trelawney said something to that effect in October!"

"What'd she say, exactly?"

"My first heir will be born without my knowledge near the time of Beltane!"

She shrugged. "So? Let it happen, then. What would you do if you could track the girl down?"

"I'd... um... offer to help. Right?"

"That's a meeting worth twenty Galleons to watch; 'Hello, you don't know me because magic exists and my great-uncle used it to seduce you for me and make you forget afterwards, but now you're going to have my baby. Just so you know- that unexplainable stuff the little tyke will cause? That's actually normal, and not the blessings of God following your otherwise immaculate conception.'" Holly cackled some more. "She'd kill you, if she has an ounce of self-respect left after being date-raped by someone absolutely no-one in her town remembers her being with. I guess you're not Galahad after all."

"You don't seem mad."

"I'm FURIOUS, Nev!" She fairly exploded, her arms flinging wide with the release of emotion. Holly calmed her frightening visage when she saw the abject fear in Neville's eyes. "But at the society more than at you, since you have time to fix your mistake. Your job now is simple- get your Great-Uncle to track down the girl and figure out how to fix things. Don't let him slide- this is both of your faults, and you can make him comply by threatening to recognise the child when it suddenly shows up in eleven years. You'd best contact him soon." Holly then turned to retrieve her clothing, starting with her lace bra.

Neville growled, "That's only one of many reasons I'd like to speak to him." He shook his head and offered, "If it's any comfort, she wasn't a virgin. Uncle Algie selected her for her... skill as well as her looks."

Holly scoffed. "Well, you may find the situation already resolved then."

"Why?"

Holly squinted at her naked companion. "If she's experienced enough to not have been traumatised, she may have already aborted the child, depending on her convictions."

Neville retrieved his briefs and began to dress as well. "Aborted? What do you mean?"

Holly grabbed her jeans and leaned back to shimmy into them. "She would have had a doctor remove the unwanted baby before it developed too far."

"Well, what would the doctor do with it, then?"

Holly huffed in disbelief. "Nev!"

"What?"

"The doctor would have had to crush it first- the foetus is killed and removed like the unwanted invader that it is."

Neville's face fell in shock. "Merlin! That's horrific! How could people allow that?"

Holly and Neville both continued to dress as their argument gained momentum. "Nev, there's five billion muggles occupying the planet. Depending on the situation, this is seen as a responsible choice."

"Muggles are insane."

"Just as much as magicals, but for different reasons and in different ways."

"I don't see how!"

"Nev, how many muggleborns show up at Hogwarts each year?"

"I dunno. Five or so. More lately, of course."

"And purebloods have been 'fielding' for generations, yah?"

"Of course."

"But no one put the two together for you until now?"

"How does that make us insane?"

Holly rose to standing, now fully clothed. "It doesn't. It makes you stupid! Acting like magicals are superior to muggles is the insane part."

Neville stood as well, though he was still tucking in his shirt. "At least we respect the life of a child!"

"The muggles who do this sort of thing don't consider it a child yet. Not until it can live outside the womb without help."

"They're wrong."

"Possibly. Which is why I don't put muggles as smarter than magicals, either."

"When do you consider it a child?"

Holly stopped short and looked away. "I haven't had to make that call yet."

Neville stepped forward. "Why not?"

Holly turned up a defiant look that gave Neville pause. "Because it isn't a complete question- what you're actually asking is 'when would I stop thinking of a baby as a thing that can be killed without calling it murder?' As I said, I haven't had to decide that yet."

Neville stammered, but pressed on. "W-well, decide now. When do you consider a child to be a person who deserves to live?"

Holly took an extra moment to stare into Neville's eyes.

"When I can reason with it. Half the school hasn't made it yet, nor has our Minister for Magic."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

A dead silence fell between them.

"Nev, you'd best get it through your head early; I'm a killer. It's my purpose, and what I train for. There's a bunch of killers coming, and the best chance the rest of you have is if I put down the worst of them before the war is even declared. This discussion is better had with Hermione, or Professor McGonagall. Anyway, find the girl and take care of your responsibilities."

"Or what?"

"Or I will. My problem-solving habits tend to be a bit frightening to most."

Neville turned away. He shook his head a few times, and then mumbled, "Yeah. Y'know, that's one reason why I think you're going to win."

Holly stepped forward to hear him better. "Win? You mean, the Tournament?"

"Against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I mean, I should have known it couldn't be Harry. Harry's just a bloke. He isn't anything more than me. He can't possibly defeat the Dark Lord, so it makes sense that he didn't do it the first time. But you can do it. You can win. I believe in you, Holly."

Holly's eyes bulged out. "You mean you didn't see... and I didn't mention... but, you were in my memories."

Neville looked at her with confusion. "Well, yeah, but I didn't poke around that much. It would have been rude. I already felt bad about watching those sex memories, not that it was hard to find one."

Holly took his hand and led him back to sit on a bench by the desk. She sat down next to him, staring at him with a look of great concern.

"Holly, what's wrong?"

"Nev. This is... very difficult."

"What is?"

"I need to tell you a secret, one that I should have revealed before. It's the most important thing you'll hear today, and should explain a few things as well."

"I... I'm ready."

Holly took several calming breaths and stared into Neville's eyes once more.

"I am Harry Potter."

"No, you're not." Neville grimaced in confusion, but his voice gave away the beginnings of a nervous realisation.

Holly nodded to him slowly. "I was born Harry Potter, but then when Riddle came to kill me, things went weird and I was changed into Holly. Now I can be both."

Neville stood. He walked away for a moment, and then turned to face Holly again. Neville's face grew red and he stumbled to the floor, moaning, "Noooo. You... but it makes... I just... we just... BLEEEARGGH!" and then expelled his stomach contents across the stone floor.

Holly began to cry. "Neville, you have to understand- I didn't even know this until a year ago-"

Her explanation was cut off by another bout of sick. Neville's overtaxed psyche brought him to weeping between heaves.

"That doesn't mean I don't love you-!"

(Blooorrrghh!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!)

Holly stood up over him in frustration. "Oh for- MAN UP, WOULD YOU?"

(Bleeeaagghh!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!)

"Fuck this. FUCK this! FUCK THIS FUCKING..." Holly drew her Lignum-Vitae wand and pointed it at Neville's head. "(Sob!) _Obliviate_!"

Neville reeled back as the spell took hold, his emotional collapse put on hold.

Holly sobbed a few more times before collecting her thoughts enough to finish the spell. "You will forget anything that happened with Holly since right before you awoke to drain her blood. Somehow while sleeping you've broken through the crap that has been holding back your memories. You sorted through them, all on your own, while floating in and out of sleep. _Stupefy. Petrificus Totalus. Dissimulo. Mobilicorpus_."

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Neville woke up laid out naked on his own robe in what appeared to be the Gryffindor common room. He found Holly standing, bright and cheerful, putting on the clothing she was wearing when they had escaped the hospital wing. She moved in a very practised, comfortable manner.

"Holly? Is... is something wrong?"

"Wrong? No. It's perfectly fine. Why?"

"You're getting dressed."

"How observant! This is what happens after sex and after sleep- people get dressed!"

"But..."

"Oh, Lord help me. Don't act like this was anything important, please. I already told you I was seducing you. Everyone knows my reputation by now."

Neville paled. "I didn't come here with you because of that."

"Well, why not? Nev, this was fun. I still fancy you and if you have time when no one is looking, I wouldn't mind another ride. You're a decent lay, and I'm sure after a few more times you can last longer. But don't think of this as a bonding moment or some such. I just don't feel that strongly for... men."

Neville's face scrunched up in pain and confusion. Holly knelt down in front of the distressed boy and forced on him a quick but lusty kiss.

"There! All better. I'll see you around. Go have brekkers- it'll do you a world of good."

She stood once more and left the Room at a happy stride, humming to herself.

The moment she closed the door to the Room of Requirement, she slumped against the handle to hold herself up, face clenched in a grimace. Through the door, she just barely heard a choked sob, and her own resolve broke, sending tears streaming from her eyes. After a moment, she growled at her lack of self-control and stormed off down the corridor, scrubbing the tears from her cheeks.

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Neville returned to the real Gryffindor dorm, appearing slightly broken. Hermione watched him stumble, zombie-like, through the assembled students and up the stairs. She got up from her reading and followed him. Knowing that the other boys were all at breakfast, she entered the fourth year boys' dorm room without knocking, to find him sitting on his bed. He looked up, startled.

"You shouldn't be in here, Hermione."

"Why not?"

"Well, it'll get back to Harry-"

"Neville, don't you remember, Harry isn't- (GASP!)"

"What? What about Harry?"

"Uhhh... Harry... loves another. A muggle, so you can see where he's not ready to trot her out to the public. I'm just standing in for her. It's a private agreement. A partnership. Harry's just a friend."

"Oh. Well, you play your role to the hilt, Miss Granger."

Hermione smirked and did a quick bow. Neville smiled a little, gesturing for Hermione to sit with him on his bed. Hermione sat facing him, taking a hand in hers in sympathy.

"How have you left things with Holly, then?"

Neville goggled at the witch. "You knew?"

"Despite appearances, Holly and I have always been the closest of friends. She's hard to predict, but it's easy to see what she's already done. Particularly when she's left devastation in her wake once more."

Neville looked down to his hands again. "That's the word, alright. I am devastated. She loved me. I know she loved me. But afterwards, she treated it like... we went on a boat ride together." Neville squirmed in discomfort.

"Neville, you must know that Holly cares for you. She just can't express it well, and chose to spurn you to protect you. She's on a dangerous course, and doesn't want to put you at risk without cause."

Neville gave Hermione a stern look. "She needs me. She needs us. You know it."

"I do. But, we can only help her on her terms, it seems."

They say quietly for a minute. Neville sighed, and then whispered, "Do you think, once all her trouble is done, that she might come back to me? Let me into her heart?"

"I don't know, Neville. Perhaps that will depend on you." Hermione rubbed his shoulder. "We should make our own pact, to watch her back for when she gets into trouble."

He looked up at her with hope. "Partners?"

"Yes!"

Neville shook her hand and smiled, declaring, "I like this plan."

"Me too. Ehmm... Neville..."

"Yes?" He turned towards her to question the long pause. Hermione's emotional gaze drilled into Neville's eyes, and he hiccupped.

Hermione reached forward and grabbed Neville's face, drawing him to her and kissing him deeply. He responded as fervently, and they continued to kiss for several minutes. They then broke apart and both their smiles dropped in favour of shock and dismay.

Simultaneously, they turned away and mumbled, "Sorry."

They sat that way for a few minutes. Finally, Hermione whispered, "It was a really good kiss, though."

Neville sighed. "Yeah. But I don't think I can take being dumped by both of the girls I... uhhh..."

Hermione turned and gave him a sly look, though his back was still to her. "'Both of the girls you...' what?"

"Favour. Admire. Fancy"

"Oh."

"Sorry."

She leaned forward, gently rubbing Neville's back with both hands. "Thank you very much, Neville. I am terribly flattered."

"But..."

"'But', nothing. I'd think you've had enough talk of relationships for one day. Let us end on a positive note, and take up our partnership together tomorrow."

"How do we even do that?"

Hermione turned Neville to face her. "Simple." Gathering his full attention, she smiled. "I really liked that kiss, Neville. I'd like to savour it for a while. Let's plan to have another toe-curling kiss in a few weeks. I think I have an opening on the last Saturday of this month."

Neville squinted at her. "You'd like to schedule a kiss?"

"I'm sorry. Were you busy that day?"

Neville chuckled. "I'll clear my calendar for a kiss from you."

Hermione leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Well spoken."

The witch then gave his shoulder another rub and left the room, leaving the young man to his thoughts.

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Hermione descended the steps back into the common room. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the note that Winky had given her a short while before Neville had arrived.

It said:

**K**.

Tried my best, but I broke him. Please reassemble. Forgiving me is optional, but would be appreciated.

**R**.

Hermione mumbled to herself, "I'll think about it."

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Natalia entered Holly's dorm room to find it mostly dark. Only a candle by the bed and some coals in the stove provided light, but it was enough to see the outline of Holly sitting in the middle of the bed, and to catch the reflection from her tear-strewn face. Natalia closed the door and then moved to sit in front of Holly on the bed. At first, they didn't say anything- Holly communicated the completeness of her anguish with a look. Nat reached out to cup Holly's cheek, only to see her recoil slightly.

"Sweetie, what happened? This isn't about me being gone is it?"

"No. I fucked up. I fucked it all up. We opened our hearts to each other and his brain got minced by the truth... my truth. My only consolation now is..."

"This about Neville?"

Holly nodded and sobbed out, "...I was right."

Nat took her in her arms and whispered, "My love. I don't think this is really your way. Hermione's got the right of it- sex means too much to you. If you want, I'll... I'll stop..."

Holly calmed her crying to reply. "Don't. This was just a transition. The last hurdle. Just be yourself completely. I couldn't ask for more. All I want is you, but I want you to have everything you deserve, and that means lovers. Just... visit a little more often, wouldya? I'm feeling very alone right now."

"You want me to tell you why I was gone?"

"No, that's about your job. Right now, I need my lover. Just kiss me. Tell me you love me without words. You're really good at that."

Natalia reached forward and kissed her, a bit too briefly.

Holly looked into Natalia's eyes with worry. "Love, maybe you should tell me where you've been."

Natalia closed her eyes. "Well, Amelia had me infiltrating the Department of Mysteries, specifically the Office-"

Holly snapped to interrupt, 'STOP! What did I say about this?"

Natalia rolled her eyes. "Quote, 'I don't want to fight with Amelia over your loyalties, so don't tell me what she's having you do unless it threatens me.' unquote."

"So?"

"I... uhh. You're right. It was just... work." Natalia looked away from Holly, like she didn't deserve to be there.

"Natalia Tonks, you and I are just having the worst time right now, aren't we?"

"Yuh. I s'pose so."

Holly turned Nat's face to hers. "Yet here we sit, alone together, sexy beyond belief and deeply in love with each other. Why are we sad?"

Natalia's lower lip trembled slightly as she answered, "'Cause we each did something we're not proud of, and feel like we... betrayed the other?"

Holly slumped. "Sounds right."

"Holly, is there anything I could do that you would never forgive me for?"

They locked gazes for a moment. Holly replied, "Killing someone I loved."

Natalia quickly shook her head. "I didn't do that."

"Good." Holly looked longingly towards Nat. "Now, will you kiss me for the next several hours?"

"I... uhhh... don't feel like I'm... worthy."

Holly drew Natalia's face to her own. "Let me be the judge of that." They began to kiss. After a few moments, they threw themselves into their snog, holding each other tightly while lying entwined on Holly's bed. Natalia's hair shifted from pale lavender into a bright peach colour. Holly looked up and giggled, and then resumed their very important kissing.

Later, Holly started crying again. Natalia held her until she could start kissing her once more.

_

* * *

[Newt recommends audio accompaniment- 'Hallelujah'' as performed by the late Jeff Buckley on the album 'Grace', released in 1994. I'd post the lyrics here, but that would annoy some people and the others are probably willing to look it up.]_

**

* * *

Author's Clarifications**:

{} Ginny didn't care about Hermione and Nev getting physical because she's involved with Viktor. She had started spinning disks that morning around 8 and discovered the 'lovebirds' near 10 AM. They recently added a permanent magical sound barrier between the lounge area and the radio equipment, but Ginny heard Hermione moaning as she was returning from a loo break. At least it wasn't one of the twins...

{} The note in Hermione's pocket was to K (Kittyhawk) from R (Rook).

{} No, Holly didn't Mark Neville, but she did use one of the bonds to temporarily enable the deep rapport she needed to untangle his mind

{} Yes, Holly Obliviated Neville of everything that happened after his 'programming' took over. He doesn't remember finding out about faux-Moody messing with his head or their conversation about 'fielding' and the possibility that his victim will be birthing the Longbottom heir in mid-Spring. Holly was fed up and simply blocked the actual memories of them together after their first lovemaking. His brain has still been 'repaired', but he has no idea how- his assumption would be a subconscious breakthrough, as Hols suggested. He's dealing with other issues right now

{} Yes, Nev and Hermione might start dating, eventually. Hermione also has higher priorities at the moment, but felt really sorry for Neville at the end

{} No, there won't be a Tangent about Natalia's mission, but I may write a Spiral-compatible oneshot about it

**

* * *

Omake (from the department of weights and measures)**:

The next day, Hermione found Holly in the lounge area of WWRX. Ginny was once again hosting, and they shared a look of understanding before Hermione moved to sit with Holly on the lumpy couch beyond the sound wall.

Holly looked up as Hermione sat next to her, leaning into Hermione's firm embrace.

"How are you holding up, Holly?"

Holly answered in a quiet monotone, "I'm all a-tizzy. I'm just giddy like Christmas."

"Yes, you certainly seem to light up the room. Neville isn't faring much better, though I've done what I can to console him for how brutally you threw him from your bed."

"I did that to cauterise the wounds. My technique needs some work, I guess. Is he going to be alright, do you think?"

"I hope so. Listen, I have... can I... would you be willing to answer a probably ill-timed question for me? About Neville, I mean."

Holly swung her head around and replied. "Twenty-four."

Hermione smirked while blushing slightly. "That wasn't what I meant. I was hoping-," Then, the thought fully consumed, she goggled. "Wait. Are you SERIOUS?"

"Believe me; my measuring skills aren't rusty at all. What was your question, then?"

Hermione lurched back with a look of glazed distraction.

"Hermione, what was your question?"

"Can I have him next?"

"Happy hunting. Was that the original question?"

"Actually... yes. I was going to be more circumspect, but..."

"No worries. I'd rather you be candid, though if you were it might be uncomfortably un-Hermione-like. I hope you find love together."

"Really? Why?"

"Because I love you both, and keeping you together might mean he stays close to me. Also, you might both recover from Harry's horrible truth ruining your lives. Sorta poetic, that way."

"Thank you, Holly." Hermione leaned back on the couch but continued to rub Holly along her spine. After a minute, she smiled and whispered, "Really? Twenty-four?"

"Give or take a mil. I wasn't feeling particularly concerned about precision by that point. There's like a button up there that he nudges that'll keep turning off your ability to put thoughts in order. It's like, 'Oh, I like SCRAMBLE... wasn't just I SCRAMBLE... nifty is this SCRAMBLE... me fuck now Nev SCRAMBLE..."

Hermione's eyes swirled with a hint of madness. "Clearly, you're lying and I'll have to prove it by recreating the experiment."

Holly turned and smiled at her friend. "Yup. Have to. No avoiding it. And may I say, your dedication to rigorous scientific investigation is most admirable."

_**~o~**_


	16. 9504 Family Business

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work.

Typeset conventions: "~words~" is Parseltongue; "{words}" is another language understood by Newt (French, Portuguese, Latin, etc.); "_Words"_ is magic. The underline is used for emphasis, where it works.

**Spiral Tangent**: 9504 - Family Business

**Placement**: Covers events not detailed in the Journal between 13th February and 29th April, 1995. Best read after Chapter 48 - 'Ill Omens'

**What you need to know**: Holly Evans was born Harry Potter and now can become him, much like an Animagus form. More info will be provided in each section as needed.

**

* * *

Sections**:

Lost Family, Found Lover (13th Feb)

Family Addendum-dum (10th Mar)

French Twists (1st April)

Madhouse Logic (7th April)

A Small Amount of Magic (29th April)

A Date in the Forest [the really squicky one] (1st April)

_**~[]~**_

_**

* * *

Lost Family, Found Lover**_

**Further background**: Hermione's parents discovered her involvement with Holly and Harry through some very negative articles in the Daily Prophet. When they confronted Hermione with their concerns, Hermione had Holly demonstrate her ability to change into Harry as a way to explain the complexity of the issues they were handling. In response, Hermione was asked to leave the Grangers and never return. [Ch46]

13th February, 1995

From her position behind a suit of armour, Padma saw Hermione emerge from Professor McGonagall's office. The smart but discomfited witch took a moment to dry her eyes with the cuff of her work robe, and then walked down the hallway. Padma checked her copy of the Map, and seeing no one nearby, she Disillusioned herself and crept after her friend.

Padma followed the morose Gryffindor as she shambled through the hallways, up staircases and through unused study rooms. No particular destination seemed to be in Hermione's mind, as she crossed her own path twice before heading down a 5th-floor corridor near the Ravenclaw tower. Padma kept a careful eye, stopping occasionally to reappear and check the Map before resuming her vigilant pursuit, until they arrived at a dead end.

Hermione stared at the blank wall in front of her and mumbled, "How apropos."

Padma silently cancelled her stealth-spells and asked, "What do you mean, Hermione?"

Hermione turned to face her, startled to find herself not alone. "Where did you come from?"

"I followed you from Professor McGonagall's office. We had an appointment to finish the research notes on the Fidelius charm."

"Oh. Is it that late already?"

"First curfew is in twenty minutes."

"Then we should get to our dorms."

"Hermione, I think you need to talk, and I'd like to listen. Perhaps we should adjourn-"

"I don't want to go to the Chamber. Right now, I don't want to think about Holly, or magic, or... or..." She broke down crying, then. Padma made a scowl of distaste, and then moved to take Hermione by the shoulders, guiding them back down the hall they came from.

Hermione's crying subsided to a sniffle. "Padma, where are we going?"

"The Room. It will afford us guaranteed privacy. I do not think even Holly can disturb the occupants, if their desire is for solitude."

"Oh."

_**~o~**_

* * *

Hermione and Padma sat together on a couch in front of a warm fire in a fairly mundane Edwardian-furnished parlour room. Having just finished explaining the cause of her being disowned, Hermione had reverted to a soft sniffling. Padma shook her head, taking a few extra moments to consider Hermione's situation.

Finally, she said, "I do not know what I would do in your position. Where will you go for the summer, if you are not to return to your former home?"

"I... I think Holly is expecting me to stay with her at her house."

"Holly owns a house?"

"Yes, of course she does. It's... well, I can't say where it is, but she has a place."

"I sense that our work on the Fidelius charm has already been put to use."

"I believe so, as well."

Padma placed a reassuring hand on Hermione's knee. "Then your safety from others is assured. Is your concern for what you will be expected to do to earn your room and board?"

"Padma! No, Holly isn't like that." Hermione caught Padma's look of doubt and added, "...with me. Everything we've done together has been voluntary. Almost."

Padma frowned. "Every time you add a clause to your declarations, I worry for your situation."

Hermione shook her head, explaining, "I'm not afraid of what Holly may ask of me. Aside from on battlegrounds, she is very respectful. It's not her expectations or her goals that worries me. Padma, what happens if she dies?"

"How do you mean?"

"What will happen to the Spiral, and those that bear it?"

"I do not know, but that seems like a worthy path of exploration to consider."

Both witches relaxed into their own thoughts for a moment. Padma then offered some personal insight. "If that is all that troubles you that we can actually solve, then all you have to do now is grieve. I have lost family before. It is not pleasant, and can only really be resolved within you. Company can be comforting, though. Particularly if they are as witty and attractive as I."

Hermione giggled through some more tears and then leaned forward to give Padma a crushing hug.

"Thank you."

"(Oof!) For what?"

Hermione released her friend and leaned back to give her a meaningful look. "For standing with me. Being... my friend."

Padma smiled. "It pleases me to do so. I have also taken on a mission from Holly to aid you."

Hermione's expression turned doubtful. "She... she told you to be my friend?"

"No, Hermione. Holly asked me whether I could support you in any way that you needed, as she didn't think she would be able to do it well or often enough."

"When did she ask you this?"

"Upon your return from Yule."

"But why did you agree?"

"Holly said... that you often grow quite stimulated from the process of innovation."

Hermione blushed and turned her head away. Padma reached to turn it back towards her own, keeping a soft touch along Hermione's cheek as she added, "I said that I would support you in any way that you wanted, if I could be a part of that process. You have an extraordinary mind."

Padma stared into Hermione's eyes. She saw the bushy-haired girl's expression shift from melancholy to a kind of yearning. Feeling a strange sense of opportunity, she leaned forward and kissed Hermione on the lips. Hermione sniffled but kissed back. Soon, Padma felt the girl's arms slipping around her waist, drawing them together and prompting a rise in the intensity of their kissing. Padma gasped in nervous delight when Hermione shifted her thigh to rub between Padma's legs. They broke the kiss and both witches leaned back to assess their friend's reaction.

Hermione chose to clear up any confusion. She leaned forward again and whispered in her ear, "Make love to me."

Padma gulped and smiled nervously. "I will, if you show me how best to do that."

_**~o~**_

* * *

Hermione and Padma agreed to take their time removing each other's clothing. Every undone button was sealed with a kiss. To avoid any fumbles, they also agreed for Hermione to act first and Padma to follow through. Hermione started with Padma's blouse, and the Desi returned by removing Hermione's shoes and stockings. Padma felt flushed when Hermione wrapped her arms around to her back and unclasped the light blue bra from around her dusky-skinned torso. Hermione's follow-up kiss to her right nipple held up the disrobing for a minute.

Padma had leaned back to enjoy the witch's kiss on her brown areola, but Hermione detached herself sooner than she had hoped. Answering Hermione's top-down work on her, she continued bottom-up by sliding her hands along her friend's pale thighs, until she could grasp the band of her knickers beneath her skirt. Hermione cooed as she lifted up her hips from the couch to allow the undergarment to be pulled off and down her legs. Padma only left soft kisses on Hermione's knees before looking up expectantly for the next round.

Hermione scrunched up her eyebrows in concentration, and then leaned forward to wrap her hands around Padma's waist. Padma mistook the movement and intercepted Hermione's lean forward with a kiss. They paused in their play to continue the kiss. Soon, both witches were caressing or grasping a part of the other girl's body. Their kisses continued, interrupted every dozen seconds to allow them to gasp out their enjoyment.

Fairly soon, both witches had liberated the areas they wanted to touch and each had their nethers being fondled by the other while using their offhand to balance their position in this impromptu Twister match. They continued their tongue-suckling kisses as well. Hermione began to shudder first, followed quickly by Padma reaching a peak, in part due to the feeling of giving her friend an orgasm.

They gasped quietly into each other's mouths as they came down from their climaxes. Hermione and Padma then leaned back and stared into each other's eyes, still breathing heavily. At once, they both intoned the same frustration.

"I wish you were a boy."

They fell forward into each other from laughing, ending up tumbling off of the couch and onto the Persian rug in front of the fire. They lay next to each other, Padma closer to the fire, as their amusement abated.

Hermione was the first to stop laughing enough to speak. "Well, this was different. Very enjoyable, Padma. Don't get me wrong. It was just... different."

"How is it different with Holly?"

Hermione's face shined with a strange glow as she delved into her memories. Her breath came shallow; she licked her lips several times until she snapped her attention back to the woman next to her.

"Holly's... intense. Sometimes more than a normal person can stand. When she kisses you, it's like she needs to communicate all of her longing in that kiss, and when she caresses you, it's like she's worshipping the skin beneath her fingers. She strips you down like the clothes were part of your wrapping, and then her tongue... tastes you... and all linear thought gets lost in the maelstrom of feelings and emotions..."

Padma reached over and caressed Hermione's face, drawing her back out of her reverie.

"Such a fire will burn mere mortals."

Hermione nodded in reluctant agreement, the light fading from her cheeks. "At some point, I may need to walk away. Will you help me?"

"Yes. Even if it threatens my life, I will help you in this. We should not suffer for her crusade."

Hermione's ire rose quickly. "It's our crusade, and we WILL suffer if it is unsuccessful." Hermione searched in Padma's eyes, a grave concern clouding her thoughts. "Padma, what do you really think of Holly?"

"Promise me that this is solely between us."

"I promise."

"I think she is insane. She sees great events, catastrophes and tragedies where there are only hints and shadows, and because she is as powerful as any witch I have ever studied, it becomes her reality. She also yearns for love so badly that she will take it from every source she deems trustworthy, however inappropriate or even immoral the relationship may be. Someday, that may be her true downfall; that she loved and trusted the wrong people."

"I see where you're going with this. I just don't want to be one of those wrong people. Either of us."

"I think you should look to serve your own needs before serving hers."

"Is that what you do?"

"Yes." Padma smiled in a tease. "You could learn a lot from me. I'm even willing to share my toys."

Hermione goggled. "Padma!"

"Yes?"

Hermione whispered, "Is this... are you still... is Dean one of your 'toys'?"

Padma blushed slightly, and then looked straight into her eyes. "If you could choose it, what would you want my answer to be?"

Hermione leaned back in thought. "Padma, that is possibly the most potent question I have ever been asked. My whole brain just went quiet."

"As Holly would say, 'you are welcome.'"

Hermione stared back for a full minute before drawing Padma into a hug. They cuddled in front of the fire there the rest of the night.

Before falling asleep, Padma noted to herself that Hermione never answered her question.

_**~[]~**_

_**

* * *

Family Addendum-dum**_

**Further background**: Following her battle with the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, Holly's biology mutated such that she was releasing avian/serpentine eggs for a while (until Hermione cured her of that). Subsequent experiments on the eggs created a lizard-shaped ink imp that they named Newt. Newt absorbed a great amount of knowledge and personality from Holly's Quick-Quotes Quill that had been inadvertently used in the brewing process due to a prank by the Weasley twins. Newt has expressed a desire for a larger family.

10th March, 1995

At some point, I must have told Hermione that I wanted a family. She doesn't forget much. However, since that conversation I've been adopted by Sirius and made Natalia my... (sister? lover? girlfriend? vassal?) well, she's mine, anyway. Also, Dobby and Winky have become fixtures in my world, Newt has kept me company in the worst times (apart from Azkaban) and Hermione herself has become entwined with my life, to the point of taking the Mark just as Natalia did. Minerva is my godmother and Violet is best described as a voluntary part-time concubine.

So I have a family. A good portion of them are human. Some of the relationships might even qualify as 'normal'. And yet, Hermione feels a need to improve the lives of everyone, usually in the way that she sees as being better even if they don't see it that way. I've shot down a number of her ideas like that.

That's the mode she was in as she stood in front of me, speaking in presentation-voice. "Thank you for coming down to see us, Holly. We wanted you to meet your newest progeny!"

Hermione and Padma stood back, looking like proud sail-racers with a winning sloop. Sitting on a table between them was a purplish-grey scaled dragon the size of a large cat. I couldn't discern what type it could be mistaken for. The bottom-heavy belly was reminiscent of a Ukrainian, but its long snout ended in an under bite with a pair of dull teeth poking out, more like a Peruvian Viper-tooth that had lost its trademark top fang. Bat-like wings evoked the Welsh green, but the tendency to scratch behind its jaw with a back claw was so very Swedish short-snout.. or canine. It looked up at me with glowing amber eyes and huffed out a puff of smoke.

I had been feeling alright about myself, despite my recent poisoning and the clusterfuck of bedding Neville only to have him lose his mind (along with his lunch) over the truth about Harry. Mostly my feeling better was Natalia's doing, but she had returned to work. Now I was looking down at this demented little creature and I started feeling like a creature, myself.

Again.

For this, Hermione received a poison stare and a bit of snark.

"Y'know, I almost was alright with being a multi-gendered human, but now you've just reminded me that my reproductive system's more rotten than the sewers of Florence. Thanks, Hermione. This really makes my day."

The little critter hissed out a query; "~Mommy?~"

That made me jump back. "Holy fuck, it talks?"

The two mental witches shared a look and turned to look back at me.

Padma asked, "What do you mean, Holly?"

"It spoke! Must have been Parseltongue if neither of you noticed."

Hermione bit her lower lip and stepped toward me with a calming hand extended. "Well, we tried to replicate the factors that made Newt as smart as she is, but it's been an age since the Quick-quotes Quill was broken. Also, Ronald's probably not as gifted as Dean..."

"Why did you try to recreate the experiment AT ALL?"

Hermione started one thought, then mis-recognised the cause of my agitation. "We had an opportunity to... look, Holly, as much as this may seem distasteful-"

"It's not about 'distasteful'- I couldn't care less about that. I promised Minerva we were done, and now you've broken my word for me. What were you thinking?"

Hermione got in my face. "Now see here! You've set us up down here to learn everything we can as fast as we can. This is the way we learn things that our enemies aren't expecting- we stretch the boundaries of what is considered possible. You and I learned volumes about potions, transfiguration and alchemy in the process of brewing Newt. To teach the same sort of lessons to Padma, I had to go further than just sharing our notes."

Hermione's face was flushed and her eyes reflected a fire about learning that I hadn't seen in a while. I suppressed a sudden urge to strip her down and join her in passion, though it took a minute's concentration to do so. I then blinked a few times and rejoined the original discussion. "W-why did you have to go further, exactly?"

"Padma wasn't raised muggle."

"Huh?"

She shook her head, gesturing back towards the entrance to the Chamber. "Let's sit down."

We collected on the couches in the outer entry, followed attentively by the new critter. The dragonet hopped up next to me on the loveseat, nuzzling beneath my right breast with his spade-like head.

"~What are you doing?~"

"~Warm. Mommy. Want?~"

"~Yes, I am Mommy. Fine. Cuddle in, ya goof.~"

"~Yagoof! Name?~"

"~Sure.~"

Padma leaned forward to ask, "What did it say?"

"It wants to cuddle. I'm calling it ~yagoof~."

Hermione mused, "That sounds like Prestwick."

"What?"

She clarified, "Well, it actually sounds like 'psssstwkk' to us, but that's close to Prestwick. Like the airport."

A pain was growing just beneath my temples, but I soldiered on. "Alright. Back to the argument. Why did you do this?"

Padma offered, "It was a demonstration of the scientific method. I had never encountered it before."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Well, I have never had a cause to."

Hermione took up the explaining. "In working with Padma, and even looking back to my experiments with Professor Lupin, I realised that magically-raised witches and wizards don't typically understand how to learn properly from being wrong. They just use trial and error, rather than proposing a theory and setting up conditions that would prove the cause of failure or success. It may explain why their development in the last century or two has been so haphazard."

Padma added, "Yes. It is common for an innovator to try a few things that seem to lead to their intent and if their magic is strong, they will find the solution within three tries. After that, the idea is tossed aside as untenable. 'The third time is the charm', as they say."

"That's ridiculous. How'd they ever invent anything?"

"I think what Padma means is that magic guides the researchers to the right conclusions, possibly changing their perceptions to draw them to a solution to their idea. Have you noticed how uncomfortable most magicals are with repetition? Aside from wand movements and potion-making gestures, they mostly don't see the point. It took me a long time to realise that, and then I had to explain to Padma how to evaluate failure properly. She thought I was playing a joke on her."

"This is true. We-"

I cut off Padma. She looked too amused by this. "Whatever. Are you done?"

Hermione grew thoughtful. "Well, I don't think we've delved as far into alchemy as you and I did before. We got a little excited, having your blood at hand to aid in the process. Another few experiments should demonstrate the value of repeating a trial to confirm results and-"

"~Hungry! Hungry, hungry, hungry...~"

"~So eat something,~" I answered, tossing the reptile lightly to the floor. I then had to concentrate to switch back to English. "Y'know what? I don't care. Just keep him under control and leave me out of it."

Hermione looked worried. "Holly..."

I stood up to leave, offering a conciliatory thought. "I can't argue that your work hasn't saved my arse in so many ways, so have at it. I'll add some Parsel commands to your Warbler. Maybe you can teach him some tricks."

She stood up to face me, grasping my arms in her hands. "Holly, what's wrong? You seemed to be in much better spirits once Natalia arrived, but now you're treating everything as a personal affront. Are you two having a fight?"

I looked down to avoid her eyes. No need to scare her with how nervous I was getting. "No, Hermione. 'Talia and I are peachy. I'm just... concerned about the future."

"I know. I thought this might cheer you up."

Prestwick was curling his neck up my leg, batting his serpentine lashes at me. I looked down and held out my arms. The dragonet leapt up, using his wings to struggle up to hover in front of me, and then dropped into my arms, snuggling into my chest with a content snuffle.

My heart melted (dammit). I hugged up the lizard and gave Hermione a faux-grumpy sigh.

Hermione smiled and wrapped us in a hug as well. From within our embrace, I could hear Prestwick mumbling.

"~Mmmm! Mommies.~"

Then he bit my left breast.

"OW!"

"~Food?~"

Hermione looked appropriately mortified. "Oh, Holly! I'm so sorry!"

I tossed him from my arms but the critter just reverted to hovering, giving me a strange look. I rubbed my sore and bleeding skin through the torn cotton of my pullover, keeping the hand over my breast protectively. "He calls us both 'Mommy', so he's your problem. I'm going to Pomfrey for a Tetanus booster."

"Really, Holly. I had no idea he-"

"Forget it. Just get the goof some food."

"~Yagoof! Food for Yagoof!~"

_**~[]~**_

_**

* * *

French Twists**_

1st April, 1995

Holly Evans sat at a table in the Great Hall, reading. Her table. It was the one she made out of a pillar when no one else wanted her to sit with them. The room was otherwise empty now, what with most of the school traveling on the Express back to London for Easter break. Holly remained only because she had an appointment with a Centaur that evening. But she still used her table.

It was past the lunch hour and all the food had been removed, yet Holly lingered there to read, as had become her habit. Reading anywhere else could become disruptive. In fact, Madame Pince the school's librarian had put a restriction on Holly's library visits- they were to be scheduled ahead of time, and include at least two prefects or a Professor for the entirety of her stay. Madame Pince was not concerned for Holly's health, nor that of the other students and visitors who might start some form of argument with the controversial witch. No, Madame Pince was protecting her books.

Holly could understand that. So she read in the Great Hall.

Most people learned to stay away from her table unless they wanted to interact with her in some way. Today, that was a pair of witches with the last name Delacour. They just didn't know that they were looking for Holly.

In the background, Holly could hear the rapid-fire French being spoken between the two sisters. Though her translation of it was slow she could understand the gist of the argument, and sat up straighter as the speakers entered the Hall. They appeared to be staring each other down in the process of their argument.

"{I am certain that my love is this way! Fleur, stop dragging your feet! You must speak with him and prepare him for our journey into bliss!"}"

"{Gaby, this is no time to be playing about. We are visitors in a backward and filthy land. Return to the carriage at once.}"

"{You think I am just being a foolish little girl, but I am in earnest! I kissed him and he kissed me back! The first bond has been made. It only remains to complete the ritual and we can know true and beautiful love the likes of which the world shall envy.}"

"{You are acting more stupid than normal, Babble-baby. What makes you think I would assist you in this foolish quest at all?}"

"{You came along.}"

"{Only to sort out young Mr. Potter's mistake. There's no way that poor, oblivious boy could possibly know what he was getting into by saving your life and allowing you to reward him with a kiss. He doesn't even speak FRENCH!}"

"{Our love will cross the language barrier. I told you- he is my soul, my bonded love, and I know this because there he sits!}"

Holly looked up from her book to see the somewhat aghast witches staring at her, the younger one pointing directly at Holly's heart with an insistent and proudly-aimed arm.

Fleur's comment broke the tense moment. "{Oh, fuck me gently with a chainsaw.}"

Holly dropped her head in laughter, quickly responding, "Nice imagery, 'Heather'."

Gabrielle gaped in shock, her arm unable to move away from pointing towards the center of Holly's chest.

Fleur had been madly blushing but now stepped forward with an indignant look. "Tell me, Evans. How is it zat you have jinxed my sister into believing you are 'Arry. I know her senses have brought us to you. Do you hold his soul in some sort of un'oly binding?"

Holly calmed her laughter, shaking her head at the two witches. "I have... no idea what you're talking about, but if it has to do with Harry, we should-"

"C'est vraiment 'Arry Potter!"

Holly replied nervously, "Ah, no."

"Vous êtes... vous êtes... vous êtes TOUS DEUX-" Gabrielle's shouted discovery was quickly muffled by her sister's arm wrapping around her head.

With teeth clenched, Fleur spat into the young girl's ear, "{SHUT UP! Shut it! We are dead women if you do not shut UP!}"

Holly's look turned stern and she rose from the table with a predator's mien.

"Come with me if you want to live."

Fleur looked up to see Holly stalking towards them. She let loose a held breath when Holly slid past them to walk towards the back of the Great Hall, leading them to the receiving room where months earlier the contest's champions were finally determined. Fleur shuffled along quickly, not allowing her struggling sibling out of her grip for fear of what she might say next.

When they finally were sealed behind barriers of wood and magic, Holly sat them down by the empty hearth. Once settled in an armchair, she looked first to Gabrielle.

"{Okay, since my French is poor, we'll have Fleur explain this to me in English. You just sit there and be pretty or something.}"

Gabrielle grumped into a crossed-arms grumpy grump on the couch beside her sister.

Fleur gave her little sister one more threatening look and then turned to Holly with a placid expression. "What do you know about ze Veela?"

Holly's voice softened appreciably, and she began to stare at the girls before her with hunger. "You're very attractive. You burn from inside. Your voices shame the birds. Men yearn and women fall dejected in the face of your Allure."

"Zat is true... zough a bit poetic."

Holly squeezed her eyes shut. "Tell short and whiny to stop broadcasting or I'll fulfill her every nightmare about sex."

"Oh! {Gaby, stop trying to influence her. She does not wilt. It instead drives her to homicidal mania.}"

"{See! It is as I said- she is Harry. My love shall temper her heart and we shall live as one with passion and glory.}"

Fleur growled at Gabrielle, "{What part of 'shut up you fucking stupid cunt' slipped out your fecal-stuffed ears before you opened your fetid mouth? _Speak not_!}"

Holly finally caught up with Gabrielle's declaration. "Hang on. She thinks I'm Harry, she wants to bond with him and/or me and my gender has nothing to do with it?"

Fleur replied, "Of course not. We are Veela. Love is between ze souls. Ze body is merely ze instrument of pleasure."

Holly sat back for a moment, and then turned to the magically Muted girl. With a second thought, she got out of her chair and knelt in front of Gaby, leaning forward until their faces were only inches apart. She whispered, "{I hope I say this right. Little one, you are special, now. You know an important secret. I want you to vow to me that you will never talk about Harry and me being the same person with anyone but me and your sister.}"

Gaby looked into Holly's pleading expression and she nearly swooned from the seeming vindication of her feelings of affection. She looked up to silently plead with her sister, just using her teary pout. Fleur rolled her eyes and canceled the Muting charm on her sister.

Gaby turned to grab hold of Holly's hands resting on her knee, and spoke to her from the depths of her feelings. "{Yes! Yes, my heart! I vow to speak of your true identity to no one but we three in this room. I swear it!}"

Holly smirked. "So mote it be."

The wand surreptitiously perched on Gabrielle's lap flashed blue, linking a pair of tendrils that reached from Gabrielle's heart into both Holly's and Fleur's. Fleur stood up indignantly.

"{What? How dare you force a vow upon my sister!}"

Holly stood up to face Fleur, though she still had to look up as the Frenchwoman exceeded her height by seven inches.

"I do what is necessary. On occasion I do funny things, but never when it comes to a vow."

Gabrielle bounced up to stand on the couch cushions, holding her arms out towards Holly. "{Take me in your arms, my love! We are but a simple ceremony away from rapture.}"

Holly turned towards the girl with irritation. "{Look Brie, we have some things to sort out-}"

"{I am not called 'Brie'- my family calls me 'Gaby!'}"

Holly reverted to English again. "Yes, but to me you will always be this pretentious, odiferous yet nearly tasteless, squishy morsel of French mold that would give me incontinence if I didn't throw up because of you."

Gaby fell back onto the couch in shock. Fleur reeled back as well, stunned silent.

Holly added, "Yeah- I figured you knew English, you lying slut. What sort of backstabbing trollop are you to try and hitch onto the legendary Harry Potter just because you were a captive and he took pity on you? If Harry were a separate person, he would be horrified to be seen with you for the two seconds it would take for the Ministry to declare him a pedophile and a child-molester. 'True love' hasn't won a legal argument since the Trojan War. Trace back your steps- you might find where your brain slipped out. I don't know you well enough to say if you should look for any missing ethics."

Gabrielle's tears flowed freely and the little girl jumped off the couch, standing there long enough to punch Holly's thigh before she ran for the door, wailing "Mamaaaaaaan". Unfortunately, the magical seals wouldn't budge for the girl, and she fell to Holly's _Stupefy_ a moment later.

Fleur recovered from her shock, tilted her head and looked at Holly with a strained expression.

Holly glared back. "What? I had to reject her. You didn't want her finishing the bond did you?"

Fleur stepped up close to her, staring down into Holly's eyes. "I will return to discuss this with you, after I have seen to Gabrielle's safety."

"Discuss what?"

The beauteous witch brought one hand to Holly's cheek; she leaned down and kissed her with verve, moving past a simple buss to full-on passion. Holly enjoined the kiss and also slid her hands along Fleur's waist, caressing her hips.

Fleur broke the kiss but continued to breathe heavily as she spoke. "You are Harry, but have deceived ze world about it. You taunt me, publicly. You humiliate my sister, but only in private. Tell me, is zere anyzing else about you zat will bring me so close to ecstasy?"

Holly offered, "I want to fix the world, and I don't want to be praised for it. Besides which, I have a date tonight with a Centaur."

Fleur's knees buckled and she clutched Holly's shoulders. Holly tightened her grip around Fleur's slim waist.

Fleur expelled a desperate whisper into Holly's ear. "M-meet me near our carriage after midnight tonight. I will bring you someplace private."

Holly looked into the French witch's eyes with a suspicious glare. "And then what?"

"I... will give myself to you."

"No."

"Non?"

"No. If you and I meet to clear the air and come to an understanding, it'll be a meeting of equa-."

Fleur cut Holly off with another deep kiss. She broke the kiss and stumbled away from Holly, heading for the door. Holly watched her departure, drinking in the motion of every soft curve and supple muscle beneath the thin fabric of her robes. Even the movement of her wand, lifting her limp sister to float behind her was made with grace. Once the door shut, Holly shook her head to clear it of any lingering influence. Internally she recognised that the only thing making her muddle-brained was her own attraction for the departed blonde.

"Ohhhh, I'm going to Hell. Might as well earn it."

_**~o~**_

* * *

[The Forest Date fits here. Don't bother.]

_**

* * *

~o~**_

Holly had spent the evening after seeing Firenze (and having a thorough head-to-toe scrubbing shower) just sitting and thinking. Even with that free idleness, she still appeared ten minutes late at the base of the steps into the massive Beauxbatons carriage. She had spent the last hour dressing and redressing until she decided on a non-committal muggle outfit of denims and layered henleys, mostly out of frustration for wasting time caring about it.

Fleur slipped out the door before Holly could knock, glaring at her for her tardiness. Fleur was swathed in a heavy fur cloak and carried what appeared to be a sky-blue beach umbrella under her arm. Soon, they were trudging through the undergrowth of the Forbidden Forest. Fleur lead them by the Lumos-lit tip of her wand. Walking amidst the tangled roots of the forest was difficult, though Holly's goggles made it easier for her to find sure footing.

When they found a convenient copse, Fleur moved to plant the shaft into the ground. Holly stopped her. "We're on a game trail. Let's move another twenty yards off, alright?"

Once situated, Fleur planted her umbrella. With a wand wave her pavilion tent snapped into place, light blue fabric traced with gold cord providing a rather ostentatious hideaway.

Holly shook her head and silently added a Beast-repelling charm to the tent peg nearest her.

The witches entered through the flaps, walking past a bubbling fountain and into a lounge filled with wicker furniture covered in embroidered cushions. Fleur turned to face Holly, gesturing to a chaise for her to use. Holly sat down. Fleur removed her heavy cloak to reveal a tightly-tailored red silk dress that ended mid-thigh, held together by a multitude of buttons. Her legs were bare and she gracefully curled up one leg and then the other in the process of removing her leather calf-boots. Now barefoot, she moved to a side table where she collected a tray of crystal goblets filled with water. She set it between them before settling into the chair opposite Holly. She frowned when she realised that Holly had entirely missed her presentation. The short witch had her gaze locked on some distant point between the tent poles and the fountain in the previous room.

Fleur spoke clearly. "You and I, we shall talk of what comes between us. I have a misunderstanding of you. Can you clarify, please?"

Holly was still staring off towards the pavilion entrance. After a moment, she shook her head and looked at Fleur once more. "Nice frock. What's your problem now?"

"Holly, you seem distracted. Is zis a poor time?"

"No. Yes. I met with that Centaur earlier, and he mentioned some things that have me worried."

"Is zis about us?"

"No."

"Zen you will set it aside, for now. I want your full attention."

"Pushy broad. Actually, I have a complaint."

"Yes?"

"Next time, don't get me all hot and revved up and then leave. I was so horny when I met with Firenze that..."

Fleur looked at Holly, waiting for her to finish the thought.

"Never mind. What did you want to know?"

"Are you a Dark Lady, or are you merely a witch zat has been wronged?"

"Your question is too vague. I'm both. I'm neither."

"What is your purpose, zen?"

"Purpose for what?"

"Why are you evading my questions?"

"Fleur, maybe this is a translation issue. I came here to clear up confusion and miscommunication. What exactly is it about me that confuses you?"

"You act like a monstre. You are rude, difficult and vulgar. Yet you are also very confident, very competent, and are loved by a few ozzers wiz equally strong character. Zis, but you are also Harry Potter, who is humble, quiet, and earnest. Thus, you CAN at least ACT civilized."

"Yes."

"Yet you deliberately encourage being called evil!"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It seemed inevitable. I tried being heroic but it kept turning out poorly in the interpretation. I'm hoping I can leverage it; use it to walk anywhere I want and be left alone. For instance; do you find me attractive?"

"Quoi?"

"I'll just assume you said 'yes' for the sake of the discussion. You won't approach me overtly because my reputation could ruin you. Yet you'll see me now, in a private place when no one could possibly help you if I were to suddenly turn savage, as people suspect I would. Why?"

"I know zat you would not do zis."

"Of course not, but why do you know that?"

"During Yule, you attacked me only because I was provoking you, and waited until we were alone. I did not notice zis until later. I have watched your actions more closely since zen- you preserve life, and seek to save ze innocents."

"Exactly right."

"Eh? But zen why do you act like a deviant monstre?"

"If I am publicly evil, but you see me do good, you'll believe the good. If I were presented as good, but commited evil, you might believe the evil. Personal experience trumps reputation. You know everyone lies, and you know that goes triple in public forums. Who I am is not what is seen but what I choose to do. At the Yule Ball, I chose to heal you, even after you forced me into a confrontation. I even fixed your dress."

Fleur stood up to point an accusing finger at Holly. "You ripped it off of me, first! You were going to... to take me."

Holly rose slowly out of her chair and stepped to the side so that the low table wasn't between them. She looked up to stare Fleur in the face. Her expression changed from irritation to a grudging guilt

"I was an inch away from ravishing you, tweaked out on excess Allure as I was, but I just couldn't be what I hate- that's what brought me to my senses. Anyway, during the Second Task I chose to save your lives and the life of Glenda the squid, not to mention Margaux and Gabrielle. Maybe it was for the challenge, maybe for the hope of what I might receive as a reward from the grateful, maybe because I was under scrutiny and knew it would confuse my enemies further but the action stands on its own. I acted, everyone lived."

Fleur shook her head. "What are you? Good or evil?"

Holly threw up her arms and began to pace. "I'm human, Fleur. My purpose is not simple to explain, and... my choices aren't always made for the sake of my grander goals. Sometimes, I choose to be selfish. I am working outside the rules, on instinct. My instinct says that you are a powerful woman with a desire to help others and an ego that rivals my own. Assuming you are as strong as you act, that means two things- I want you as an ally, and I desire you as a lover. I don't always get what I want. Or what I desire."

Fleur had her arms crossed, and leaned back to stand with a haughty derision. "Or what you deserve?"

"I have no way to tell what anyone really deserves. I don't trust others who say that they can tell- all the lenses are foggy with history and culture. What do you want?"

"From you? Nozzing."

"Defensive much? I meant for yourself. What do you want to do with your life?"

Fleur relaxed her stance. "I wish to bring benefit to ozzers. I want to be seen as more zan a Veela, more zan a prize or a companion."

"Wow. Almost noble."

"Almost?"

"True altruism is anonymous. I will do great things, and look evil, horrid and corrupt doing so. You want to appear good. I'd argue that you're not willing to do something ugly for the sake of the good you wish to do."

"You are always rude to me."

"Yup."

"English cunt."

"Just admit I make you hot, would you?"

Holly's defiant expression was interrupted by the French witch snapping forward to wrap her arms around Holly's head, giving her a forceful, passionate kiss. It took only a pause for Holly to overcome her surprise and return Fleur's enthusiasm.

Fleur broke off the kiss suddenly and pushed Holly away. She took a step back and turned away to look towards the ground, whispering, "Like no other. Stay away from me."

Holly touched her lips, as if checking for where the nice sensations went. She quickly grew angry. "Look, Fleur; I didn't come here for sex. I've had enough trouble with relationships, lately. I just wanted to settle our differences. I wouldn't even bother but I felt that I owed you the explanation. You made your feelings clear at Yule, and I finally stopped acting like a predator by the Second Task, thanks to some timely advice. After I leave this tent, I fully expect us to return to a poisonous rivalry, if only to entertain the masses."

"What did you want of me at the World Cup?"

"Sex. You've made me drool ever since I first heard you ranting."

"You did not stop because you saw me?"

"No. I love your grace and beauty but it was your attitude that caught my attention."

Fleur whipped around to face Holly, surprise and hope written in her entire appearance. "Y-you..."

Holly shook her head and walked out of the room.

"Stop! You have earned my consideration, and I do not treat a debt lightly. I must balance ze scales."

Holly paused near the fountain in the entrance. She turned to look up into Fleur's face as she caught up with her.

"I owed you the explanation. You don't owe me anything. For your own safety, don't treat me well. Let's just have fun taunting each other until you can leave Britain and never return."

"Why do you reject me now? Have I become less attractive in your eyes?"

"No, but my feelings for others in my life have changed; been clarified."

"Do they ask for your monogamy?"

"No, in fact some of them discourage it."

"Then why do you hold back?"

"I'm bad for people. Bad things happen to people I like too much." Holly looked down.

Fleur stood for a moment, then gently tipped Holly's face up so she would see the truth in her eyes.

"I accept the risk. Are you brave enough to risk as well?"

Holly answered by sliding her hands up the sides of Fleur's dress, caressing up her neck and drawing her back into a kiss. Once their snog was in process, Holly slid her hands down to Fleur's collar, unbuttoning her first clasp and swirling a fingertip across the exposed skin. She unhooked another button, expanding the spread of skin tickled by her fingernails.

Fleur broke their kiss and smiled. "Most would have torn the robes from me. I admire your restraint."

Holly released another button. "What restraint? Now that we're going to do this, I want it to last as long as possible. I have a great appreciation for the value of time, well-spent."

"You are meaning more than you are saying."

"Always."

"I do not understand."

"Yup. Which should keep your attention held. I think you enjoy a mystery." Holly's fingers slid further beneath the fabric, and another button was undone.

"O-oui."

"When you dream of me, how does it go? Do you submit to me, or do you take me with passion?"

Fleur shuddered, both from the touch and in admitting to Holly's assumption about her fantasies. "Both. Of late, my dream-Jodi knows which is wanted more, and handles me roughly. I have had to suppress ze urge to spank myself, lest my cries be detected by my schoolmates."

Holly leaned in to kiss and lick the soft, perfect skin exposed by her attentive hands. She released another two buttons, drawing the lapels of Fleur's dress to spread wide until they were caught on her protruding nipples. Holly's active lips and tongue inched their way over to the right breast, nudging the fabric past the catch and wrapping the exposed flesh with a warm kiss in greeting. Fleur's breath became ragged. She moaned attractively.

"Your hands are rough. Your lips soft and smooth."

"And you love it."

"Yesssss."

Holly mumbled from where she was sucking on Fleur's breast, "I'll go first. You can attack me later."

(Gasp!) "O-oui."

Holly guided them slowly to sit at the edge of the fountain. She kneeled on the stone edge next to where Fleur sat, using the leverage to push her back until Fleur had to hold her arms straight behind her to prevent falling back into the splashing water. With Fleur's chest presented so prominently, she resumed the unbuttoning while shifting her kisses to Fleur's other breast.

Fleur moaned when Holly reached the buttons at her waist. Holly took the opportunity to slide her hands back up along Fleur's torso, pushing back the open dress off her shoulders until it gathered at Fleur's wrists at the concrete fountain edge. Fleur added another moan and twisted her body in enjoyment. Holly sucked most of Fleur's right breast into her mouth, eliciting a delightful squeal from the owner. She allowed the flesh to slide out of her mouth, releasing all but the nipple she caught in her teeth. Fleur's gyrations continued.

Holly released her bite and leaned up to watch Fleur's reaction. The witch gasped, her eyes still shut. Holly smiled evilly and reached her hand over to the splashing water. With a subtle gesture and a smidgen of magic, the path of the fountain's burbling water was redirected to land atop Fleur's bare chest. Her skin trembled, muscles convulsed, nipples drew taut and Fleur let out a shuddering gasp of erotic shock.

The witch then yelped and scrambled to stand up from the edge of the fountain, giving Holly a murderous glare. "WHAT WAS THAT?"

"Fucking beautiful- that's what it was. Don't tell me you aren't twice as turned on now."

Fleur smouldered at Holly's mad grin. "Non. Five times as much. I can see this will take some time."

Holly stepped forward, grabbing Fleur at the waist with one hand and drawing her left breast into her mouth with the other. Fleur wrapped her arms around Holly's head.

"M-much time..."

_**~o~**_

* * *

Much time was spent well.

Fleur and Holly lay naked across Fleur's fur cloak, their sweat-covered bodies still intertwined at the leg and both girls doing a slow, twisting caress of each other's arms held above them. They settled back, ending a languorous kiss.

"Never have I been loved so thoroughly. Thank you, Holly."

"I think your accent got stuck in the covers somewhere."

Fleur grinned. "I use it to keep 'ze distahnce'. What sort of scholar would I be, if I could not speak well in foreign lands?"

"American."

Fleur laughed. Holly delighted in the sound until it faded. She rose up to rest her head on her hand, lazily using a finger to draw lines across Fleur's pink-white skin.

"So, you wish to be known as a scholar?"

"I wish... I do not know what I wish, now. Maman would have me follow my heart, but that does not lead to greatness, only... satisfaction."

"You want to live your life unsatisfied?"

Fleur turned her head to smile at Holly. "I want to be satisfied periodically, until I am asleep. But I shall awake with a renewed desire to achieve."

"That's the how, not the what. You're covering for your confusion and indecisiveness."

Fleur scowled. "Always you taunt me! You are infuriating."

"Only when you try to act cute and noble. I know better."

Fleur replied with petulance, "Also, I still am not convinced that you are the superior witch."

Holly groaned. "Look, I'm tired of hurting people I like, so I'd just prefer to leave that mystery unsolved, yah?"

"Non. We can settle this."

"Hang on. I heard that a Veela that loses a battle over her body, heart and magic was enslaved to the winner. Do you really want to give me that much power over you?"

"That is just a fairytale. Do you really think we would use such a method to find our mate? Such a process would encourage men to be warlike and result in the subjugation of our race. It does make for an entertaining deflection for unwanted suitors, though."

"Brilliant, but I'll have to burst my father's bubble."

"Oh do not! Why ruin his dreams and our protections? Let this truth stay between us, as with yours."

"Oh, alright. You said you had a plan to settle the Alpha-witch question?"

"I go to take Accreditations in May. You will take them as well, and we shall see who is the greater witch."

"This is the continent's version of OWLs?"

"Your system has two exams. We need only the one per subject. There is a campground nearby the testing place. You and I, we will share my pavilion at night."

"Oh, THAT'S why we're going to France, eh? To settle a disagreement! Nothing to do with having more of the best sex you've ever imagined."

"Of course not. You have not reached the limits of my imagination. Thus, your task is incomplete! So, you agree to come?"

"I don't normally have to choose, when you're around. Seriously, Fleur, you know I can't just show up in France."

"The testing is in Luxembourg. You do not wish to go?"

"No, it's just-"

"Then tell me solutions, not problems."

Holly flopped back to stare at the roof of the tent. After a minute of rumination, she smiled.

"I can't go. Would you be willing to take Jodi, instead?"

"You would appear as the ice cream girl, once more?"

"Sure. I'll have to get some help in creating a background for her, but aside from a few naysayers, I thought I made a very attractive and non-threatening black girl."

Fleur squealed in delight and wrapped Holly in a hug.

"I like this even more. I am certain that this will be an excellent voyage. I do not see your condition as even a handicap. It should not affect the results of our competition, so long as you do nothing life-threatening."

Holly leaned back to look at Fleur, confused.

The blond gave her a knowing look. "Your baby. It will not be much at risk, so long as you are careful during the testing."

Holly's mouth fell open. "M-my what?"

Fleur leaned back to rest on her elbows, looking at Holly with a doubtful concern. "Surely you knew- your nipples darken, your breasts prepare to swell with milk." She smiled with a remembered delight. "I even may have tasted a bit as I suckled upon you."

Still stunned, Holly grew pale. "I'm..."

"Have you not also been ill with the churn of hormones?"

"I've been sick, but I was poisoned and then spent several nights in the forest, so I assumed it was a flu. I thought this last bit was Brie trying to 'bond' with me."

Fleur retrieved her wand from a side table and danced it around Holly's abdomen for a moment. A faint pink glow rose from between her hips.

"Une fille. She should be born by the new year, I believe. Had you not considered that you might be fecund?"

Holly's face scrunched and tears fell freely from her eyes.

Fleur sat up to look down at her friend, placing comforting hands on her shoulder and belly. "Oh, Holly! Is this... did you not... have you been assaulted?"

"No, and that's the bloody shame of it. I earned this fumble entirely of my own arrogance. Fleur, as my friend, I wish for you to swear never to tell anyone about this."

"Of course, but the verite will not be simple to hide for long. Per'aps you may compete in le Troixieme, but I would exercise great care. I say this with no mind to aid my school's chances of victory."

"Fleur... merci."

Fleur wrapped Holly in a hug.

"I can't believe I screwed that up. I..." Holly snaps her head back. "...oh fuck."

"What is it, Holly?"

"You remember I said I met a Centaur earlier, who said something disturbing?"

"Yes."

"He said 'your child yet unborn will grow in your love, but her fate is tied with the world entire. You must forgive those who kill her.' I can't believe it. I can't... how do I raise a child, knowing she's doomed from the start?"

"Holly, I would like to advise you of an ancient French saying that is as true today as when it was first spoke, possibly by Charlemagne."

"Yes?"

"Fuck Fate. All that you know is that you are pregnant, and a centaur has been stalking you. If there were no meeting, how would you proceed?"

"I... don't know."

"If you could, would you bear the child?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I'm very fond of the father, and I crave a family. Also... "

"Also?"

Holly's expression drew thoughtful. "I could use an heir. It might make any inevitable sacrifices a little more... productive."

"Then you no longer have a quandary. May I ask a favour?"

Holly broke her line of thought to give Fleur a bright smile. "Sure, since you're being so helpful."

"May I... taste you once more? Now that I know I was not mistaken, I would like to enjoy it."

"Have at it. I doubt I'll need any to be saved for a bit."

Fleur leaned over and used a curling tongue tip to guide her lips onto Holly's right nipple. Fleur crooked her neck, sucking upon Holly's breast in different ways.

Holly gasped out, "Oh God!" and wrapped her arms around Fleur's head. She sniffed deeply of her flaxen hair as she clenched her thighs together in rising excitement. A moment later she felt Fleur's slender hand prying between those strong thighs, an offer to help her ecstasy along. Holly exerted enough self-control to open up her legs for Fleur's probing fingertips, and was rewarded with two inserted deeply whilst the thumb twiddled her clit. Holly threw back her arms and arched into the motion, the first new climax rushing through her, a roar through her ears making further sensations difficult to differentiate.

As if at a distance, she heard Fleur say, "I hate it when time is wasted apart. We shall play 'catch up', non?"

_**~o~**_

* * *

When Holly woke up, all other worries and concerns took a back seat to one overarching conclusion. "If that's what it feels like to feed a baby, I may never stop nursing."

Fleur turned towards her, the slim perfection of her body glowing in the candlelight.

"I would be pleased to host you in a visit to my home in the summer. I wish to accumulate a lifetime's worth of memories with you, before you rush off to meet your fate. Would you stay with us as Jodi?"

"Sure- it's just a couple transfigurations and a tangling jinx. Though, for my sake, I think I should make up a version that will un-knot as needed."

"You invent spells already?"

"Mostly Hermione does, but I sometimes take credit as the idea girl."

Fleur gulped. "You... love her, don't you?"

"Yes, I do, but my heart actually belongs to a third witch."

"This third witch. She is not jealous? I would not wish to be targeted by yet another spurned lover, particularly one you would consider an equal."

"No worries on that. My love is... her name is Natalia. The only jealousy she would express would be that she wasn't here to join us."

"I have never had more than one lover in my bed. I do not know how I would feel about that."

"You should work on that imagination, then. As for our field trip in May, I will go with you alone and we'll sleep together each night. Though, that could get quite exhausting, yah? I hope the hard tests come first."

"They are all difficult. You test until you fail- that determines your skill. How far your knowledge and ability can take you determines your score. A test may take one hour or ten. There is no point to 'cramming', so we shall end each day seeking only rest and... refreshment." Fleur became distracted, watching Holly clamber up and seemingly sniff out a treat from the air like a cat in a kitchen.

Holly's tracking brought her to prowl above Fleur on all fours, and then to dip her head towards her lover's pelvis. Holly repositioned her arms to slowly push Fleur's legs apart, finally resting her chest down on Fleur's taut belly while curving her face into position.

"I shall drink deeply of you as well."

Fleur caressed between Holly's nearby legs and then turned her head to kiss her thigh. She added an admonishment. "That is vulgar."

"And you love it." Holly eschewed further banter and gave Fleur's nether lips a wet and artful snog. She wrapped her arms around Fleur's thighs, using her hands from beneath the girl's arse to spread her sexual nexus wider.

Fleur gasped an answer; "Ouiieeee!"

_**~[]~**_

_**

* * *

Madhouse Logic**_

It was the 7th of April, and Hermione Granger was worried.

For the last few days, though effectively three weeks, Hermione and Padma had been in a near-frenzy, reading through the rare tomes Lily Potter had squirreled away in the Madhouse. They first started with some of the accredited works on magical theory, but Holly suggested that they delve into the harder-to-get works and go back to fill in their theoretical understanding afterwards. Hermione had been rather bold in asking to read some of Lily's journals, but Holly acceded without any sort of protest or argument. That should have been the sign that told her something was terribly wrong.

Instead, she had been frolicking in mountains of rare knowledge with a fellow bibliophile.

Hermione finally realized that something was terribly wrong soon after Holly stopped the Time Turning Gyroscope to let Natalia join them. Normal patterns would suggest that Holly's mood improve almost immediately (usually within two hours of the women finding some privacy). Yet, uncharacteristically, Holly's temperament had worsened. Natalia had been quite active in trying to cure Holly of her angst, much to the other witches' relief. A sullen Holly tended to sour their enthusiasm for discovery.

These were the thoughts holding her attention as she slowly stirred a simmering cauldron, sitting at the counter/workbench in the potions lab/kitchen section of the Madhouse.

Natalia entered the room wearing only a kimono and the musky scent of loveplay. She sidled up next to Hermione where she was sitting, and then licked her ear to shock her out of her reverie.

Hermione rubbed her ear while glaring at the older witch. "Gyahh! Nat! Why'd you do that?"

"Tuppence for your burnt noodles, princess."

"I'm worried about Holly."

"Join the oversexed club. I've done every silly, stupid, brash or deranged thing I could conceive, but she just doesn't seem into it any-"

"'Conceive'... oh, MY GOD!"

Natalia fell off her feet with shock from Hermione's exclamation. From the floor, she complained, "Where's the fire?"

"She's pregnant!"

Tonks stood up and brushed off her arse beneath the kimono. "Naw. You're just... I mean... well..."

"She's moody, frequently ill, picky about what she eats, is either locked in a doldrum or maniacally researching something, and sex isn't making her happy; she's pregnant!"

A disheveled, housecoat-clad Holly sighed from the doorway. "Brava, love. You pegged it. But you only have half the problem."

Both Natalia and Hermione squealed and rushed over to give Holly warm hugs and kisses on the cheeks. She accepted them for a moment before pushing them both out to an arm's length.

"Stop it, would you? This isn't joyful."

Hermione nearly giggled in surprise. "Why not? I mean, I assume that you'll be keeping it."

Holly turned a condescending stare at her bushy-haired friend. "Hermione, what's today?"

"Friday, the 7th of April, more or less."

"When is the Solstice?"

"June 24th. Oh! Oh, dear."

Natalia looked quickly between the two witches. "What? What does that mean?"

Hermione turned to answer. "She has to appear as Holly AND Harry, or the Goblet will consider her pact broken. There's no way she can do that while five months gravid. This is going to require some thought."

Holly led them back to sit on stools at the worktable. "Yeah, which is what I've been doing. I have three possible solutions."

Before Holly can continue, Hermione ventures a guess. "Let's see; give up the deception, abort the child or break the Goblet of Fire."

"Not exactly. I can't turn into Harry right now. I tried earlier and it felt like my lower viscera were stuck in a taffy-puller."

Natalia winced. "So what's your three?"

"Same as her last two. My other option is to kick you out, spin this bunker faster, and have the baby before the Solstice. That's the plan that makes sense to me."

Hermione pouted. "Why would you have to kick us out?"

"What do you think would happen at school if we three were absent for two and half months?"

Padma (wearing sky-blue satin bed clothes) joined the trio, shuffling into the room while rubbing an eye with the heel of her hand. "The grading curve would return to normal."

Tonks barked out a laugh. "Hah! It'd be a service to the school, then!"

Holly smiled in acknowledgement. "Yes, but I was speaking more to the safety of our RE-class students and various other projects that would fall apart. Also, I can justify the absence because of poisoning or other intrigues. Unless we all 'suddenly' contract something, which would reignite suspicions about your sleeping habits Misses Patil and Granger, it's really my show."

Tonks poked Holly's side. "And why do I have to go?"

Holly scowled back while rubbing her side. "Someone needs to be Harry. Besides, don't you have a job?"

"I finished my last assignment really well. Amelia owes me right now. I have enough time- I could play both of you!"

"No, I don't want to press our luck. Harry only shows up for RE practicals and to tease Draco. You'd have to be me full-time, and I'd wonder who you were seducing as me the whole time I'm gone."

Natalia leaned in to whisper in Holly's ear, "Be vewwy, vewwy quiet; ah'm hunting pwofessows!"

Holly smirked first, and then growled at her lover for trying to lighten the mood.

Padma goggled at their antics, wandering over to the icebox for some juice and to distance herself from the disturbing concept of 'which professors could Harry seduce?'.

Hermione drew their attention back to the general conversation. "Holly, I know I assumed you would keep the baby, but have you considered everything that having a baby will require of you?"

"No, Hermione. I've just been depressed because the Cannons keep losing. Of course, I've thought about it!"

"And?"

"This is probably the stupidest thing I could choose to do, right now. Every ounce of logic and common sense is telling me to abort the child and return to our regularly scheduled horror show."

Each witch immediately protested, led off by Hermione's "Don't!". Padma followed with "You must not," and Tonks trumped them with, "I'd arrest you meself."

Holly turned to face the Auror. "What?"

"It's illegal to kill a magical person unless they truly threaten your life; age is irrelevant. It's also immoral, unethical, and disturbed. Why are you even considering it, Hols?"

"Apparently, because I'm more practical than the three of you put together."

Before the arguing could rise, Natalia raised her hands and yelled "Time OUT! I need a minute with the mother-to-be."

Holly allowed herself to be dragged to the side by Natalia.

Once they were isolated by a privacy charm, Holly whispered an explanation. "Talia, I can't throw over everything else on my plate just because my prophylactic charm failed."

"I wasn't going to argue that. Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"It's Neville's, right?"

Holly nodded sullenly. "Yeah..."

Natalia grew anxious as she asked, "Are you going to marry him?"

"No."

"Even if-"

"No, Natalia. I'm not even going to tell him about it until he's seventeen. If this works, I'll raise her myself, with assistance from the elves and all the women in my life who will be absolutely convinced I'm going to stuff it up. This girl will have more mothers than she knows what to do with. Harry can stand in as Daddy until the proper one is ready. Which he most certainly isn't, at the moment."

Nat sighed in relief. "Alright. I have a concern."

"Yeah?"

"What do you suppose old Albus of the whitewash will do when he finds out?"

Holly goggled and looked to Natalia. "Have I recently mentioned that I love you, desperately?"

Nat leaned forward with a grin. "Is that what you were screaming last night?"

Holly smiled and kissed Natalia on the neck. "Like I'd remember one climax-induced rant from another. Anyway, back to less-attractive thoughts..."

_**~o~**_

* * *

A minute later, the two witches turned back to their friends who were similarly engrossed in a debate. Before either of them could act, Holly and Natalia had their wands out. Natalia held Hermione at bay while Holly struck Padma with a _Stupefy_

.

Hermione shrieked, "What are you doing?"

"Tonks reminded me of the dangers of prophecy when mixed with chess. We're going to pull a prank on the Headmaster, because I don't want him tossing me aside during this solstice confrontation and declaring a new 'chosen one' in my daughter. So, we lie to everyone whom the old man can sift. That means the three of us are in on this, and no one else. Padma has to be Obliviated, and then we'll stage an accident with the Turner Gyro, so I can keep using it."

Tonks used her wand to levitate Padma back into the library.

Hermione reached over and grasped Holly's shoulder. "Holly, I understand your concern, but what happens when the Headmaster finds out?"

"I only care about deceiving him until the summer. After that..."

Hermione gasped. "You're not coming back. This is your last year."

"Yup. Dead or alive, I'm done being a student."

_**~[]~**_

_**

* * *

A Small Amount of Magic**_

29th April, 1995

Hermione Granger sat at a desk in the Room of Requirement, surrounded by books. The Room was operating in 'Restricted Section' mode, a clear benefit being that the books were generally not trapped or cursed, unlike the real ones under Madame Pince's care. Hermione had discovered a few differences stemming from that truth- sometimes the traps are part of the knowledge, and you can't read the contents without knowing how to handle the books' protections.

Hermione wrote a few more notes from the current volume she had been comparing, but then sat back in thought. She idly tapped her quill against her lip, until she was interrupted by an inky lizard's scribing. Newt's Lily-voice issued from the face of an agate book-end, placed on top of the parchment where the imp was writing in her miniscule script. "Is something wrong, Hermione?"

"What do you think of Holly becoming a mother? I mean, becoming a full-time mother."

The lizard scratched and the stone echoed, "I think that Holly having a baby may save us all. You and Natalia were worried about her going dark, but I can't see that happening if Holly has an infant to care for. She will love it, completely. The real risk is if her enemies were to kill the baby- the consequences would be bloody."

"I can imagine."

"You don't have to. Did Holly tell you what Firenze predicted?"

Hermione turned to look at the imp, confused.

"Firenze told her that her daughter would be born and live happy but be killed by her enemies. The fate of the world would then depend on her not taking revenge on them for it."

"Holly knows her baby will die?"

"Only if you believe Firenze. I don't know what predictions are meaningful and which ones are just a tease. In the end, the scholarly works mostly recommend the same thing; act on your conscience, not the blatherings of the Symphony. I think it only gives out predictions to raise the stakes; to enhance the drama."

"Really?"

"For example; if Oedipus' father Laius had left well enough alone, he would have had a nice family. Instead he tried to kill his infant son, only to have him come back, kill him in a disagreement and then marry his widow, who happened to be the boy's mother. Laius and Oedipus were listening to a Delphi oracle, who was no doubt having a whale of a time pulling together the twisted fates of these otherwise decent people."

Hermione scoffed. "Decent? Before Laius married Jocasta, he raped the son of his host in exile, King Pelops."

"Still, if Laius had ignored the oracle, he could have enjoyed his depraved bisexual rule of Thebes without too much strife. Instead, Jocasta births her own grandchildren and everybody dies in shame."

"So the moral is to ignore Fate and treat each other well. You are a wise woman, Newt. It's unfortunate that your talents aren't shared with your brother."

"Prestwick is the embodiment of his father, as he relates to Holly. He is loyal but simple-minded and always hungry. By contrast, Dean started off with a good rapport with Holly, and his intelligence and talent are obvious. His mistake was in not dealing with Holly as an equal. I never made that mistake- I love my Mum."

"Still, I think the difference between you is significant, as it was with the Couatl. Why would you all come out so differently?"

"Well, another factor has to do with Holly's blood and the essence of magical beings. I was made before you restored her humanity, when Harry was still 'asleep'. Prestwick was made using her current blood."

"As was the Couatl!"

"Yes, but the father of the Couatl was another highly magical creature. Ronald is just a boy-wizard."

"You're about two years old! How'd you get so smart?"

"I'm a writer; we think about things a lot. Also, Neville has been transcribing stuff into me when we visit the library."

"Neville knows who you are?"

"He knows I'm Holly's ink imp. He doesn't know I'm her daughter. I like him. He treats me like a friend, too."

"You are a good friend, and a good daughter."

"Thank you! You make a pretty good godmum, yourself!"

"What? I was referring to Holly. Am I... I'm... I'm supposed to be your godmother?"

"That's what Holly said. Don't you want the job?"

"I'd love to... but we can't make the vow, can we?"

"I have a small amount of magic. It's worth a try."

Hermione smiled and then turned around in the chair, looking through a nearby bookcase. She found a small volume of recent publishing called 'Vows and Bonds in Family Ceremonies' and flipped through until she found the right page. Hermione drew her wand up in front of her, while placing her off-hand on the parchment where Newt had been writing.

"_By my magic, I offer to care for you, Newt Evans, in the role of your godmother. I will guide you, listen to you, and comfort you, as I would act as mother to my own children. In lieu of your parents' consent, do you accept my vow?_"

"Can you put the base of your wand on the parchment?"

Hermione complied, noting that the glowing teal magic at the tip glowed brighter upon the contact. Newt stretched to curl her tail around Hermione's little finger, while still writing on the parchment with her claws.

"_By my magic, I accept your vow and promise to act as your godchild, Hermione Granger. I wish to be guided by your wisdom and cared for by your love. So mote it be!_"

"_So mote it... be_."

Hermione was briefly distracted by the glow flowing down her wand, over her hand and sliding across to enwrap Newt in a blue-ish nimbus. As the magic took hold, Newt glowed brighter and brighter, with her body swelling as if trying to contain the energy. Suddenly, she let out an odd squeak and burst into droplets of ink, all over the desk.

"Newt! Oh my God! Are you alright?"

Within seconds, the disparate drops drew together to reform into their usual lizard-like shape.

(Squeak, squeak) "Umm, 'Ow!'"

Hermione reached forward, gently touching Newt's head to affirm that the creature had reformed successfully. After a moment, Hermione caught something out of the corner of her eye- a lingering remnant of ink at the edge of the parchment. The drop began to lurch towards Newt, making sporadic leaps of no more than an inch. Newt turned to follow Hermione's focus, and roses up tall on her 'legs', tilting her head to the side while watching the errant blob move towards her.

"Newt? Are you sure you're alright?"

Her tail continued to scribe as she stared in fascination at the droplet's progress. "Hermione, I'm fine. I don't feel like any part of me is missing."

The ink blob finally landed in front of Newt and wobbled slightly in place, as if the paper were vibrating. After a minute of being observed, it ceased moving.

Hermione gasped. "Newt, do you think that might be... a baby?"

The little blob quivered again, and then six smaller blobs extended out from the center, forming into four legs, a head and a tail.

"Oh my God! Newt! You're a mother!"

"Hermione..."

"Yes?"

"We're mothers. This is our daughter... or son, I suppose. We shouldn't start off by laying expectations on the little tyke, after all."

Hermione burst into tears, happily shaking her head in astonishment. One of the teardrops landed on the desk, and the blob crawled its way over to the liquid, absorbing it completely and almost doubling in size.

Newt walked over to her offspring, watching as it absorbed another tear, dropped nearby from Hermione's finger. Further scribbles echo from the Sounding stone. "Well, littlest one. We'll need to plan for your education and entertainment. You should meet the family, so you know what you're getting into. But firstly, I think you'll need a name."

The mini-lizard lurched back onto the parchment in front of Newt, tripping over threads of the rough-made paper but quickly arighting itself. After a minute, it wandered beneath Newt and twisted into a ball the size of an elderberry. Newt leaned her head down to nuzzle her child, only to find that it was absorbed into her body when the two fluids connected.

"Newt!"

"It's alright. The little dear is just tired. He's still in here. Definitely a 'him'. Can't say why, but the feeling is male. Can you get me some juice? I'm feeling weak as well."

Hermione nodded and stood up from the desk. She stopped a moment and looked around her, taking in her surroundings and the events of the last hour. She smiles.

"I love my life!"

"Let's name him Pog."

"What?"

"Short for 'piece of goo'."

Hermione smirked. "Shouldn't that be 'piece of Granger'?"

"No, that would be his last name. Pog Granger."

"I love his life, and your life, too!"

(Squeak!)

_**~[]~**_

_**

* * *

A Date in the Forest**__ (the really squicky one)_

_**o**_

Really.

_**o**_

It's about Holly meeting Firenze in the forest.

_**o**_

Or didn't you wonder where the seed that created the Couatl came from?

_**o**_

_[Continuing from Firenze's meeting with Holly]_

"Firenze, I'm beginning to greatly dislike Divination."

"The stars do not care."

"Yeah, so they can't be offended if I wish them a big old 'fuck ya!', can they?"

Firenze barked out a laugh, cantering backward and to the side again.

Holly took two steps to rest her hand at the join of his human and horse torsos. "Say, what's with you?"

Firenze blushed as he stepped back again, only Holly kept walking forward to keep her hand at his 'hip'.

"I... I don't know what you mean."

"This whole time you've been unable to stand still and you keep advancing and falling back. What's your deal?"

"I am... banished from the herd for my dedication in getting this message to you."

"You've been trying for almost two years to find me, ever since the Chamber."

"And for so long have I been... alone."

Holly looked up at him with surprise. "You're ahhh... frisky, is that it?"

"Do not humiliate me so, Holly Evans. We are a proud people."

Holly began to stroke Firenze along his flank. He had to twist to see her face, but something kept him from turning his body out of the reach of her soothing hand.

"Right. Here's the thing. I could help. I mean, you've had to sacrifice for my sake and I feel it only appropriate that I do well by you if I can aid you in any way."

"It would be completely inappropriate!"

"Yup. My specialty! _Engorgio_." With the spell taking effect, Holly's hands swelled and elongated to twice their normal surface area, nearly the size of dinner plates. The witch continued to slide her now larger hand down Firenze's flank, until she was standing near his hind hip.

"What are you doing?"

"Amongst my people, this is an ancient and well-regarded ritual known across the globe by many names. Locally, it's referred to as a hand-job..."

With her off-hand, Holly conjured up a pail and a jar of lotion while continuing to stroke Firenze's hindquarters in a calming manner.

"You mustn't- "

"This is my choice, Firenze. For sure no centaurs will be born from our activities. I really just want to help you out. You saved my life and then you sacrificed your relationship with your family just to deliver a message."

"No one has ever-"

"Stand your forehooves on this wall so I don't get trampled, yah?"

Firenze found himself taking several steps forward to climb up the tumbled wall's stones. "Holly Evans, in the history of centaurs..."

"Oh, honestly! It's obvious you're in need and certainly you haven't taken to drilling a local mare!"

Firenze brayed over his shoulder towards Holly in irritation, but stayed in his current stance. "Of course not! Would you bed an ape?"

"Depends on my prospects and what he's offering. If we were stuck alone on a deserted island, I'd at least consider a date. Of course, I can self-stimulate, so it's not like I'd get that desperate. Can you reach your..." Holly smiled, taking a look at her friend's growing erection. She laid in some extra sexy sultriness in her voice. "..._throbbing muscle_ to take care of it yourself?"

Firenze's phallus extended beyond its fur-covered sheath, stirred as he was by Holly's provocative language.

"No... not easily. Usually this is dealt with by others in the herd."

"Cruel by design. I wonder if this is because you have a low birth rate- so no seed gets wasted if possible. That said, you seem to have given up your previous herd to... join... with mine." Holly gathered a dollop of lotion in her left hand (the one not soothing Firenze's flank), and then subtly shifted position.

"We have had problems with our foals dying early...AAGH! Ye GODS!" Holly gripped Firenze from the under-side, using her enlarged and greased up hands to quickly bring the centaur to full engorgement. Her motion was long and drawn out, not unlike sharpening the Blade in scimitar form.

Firenze gripped onto the bent ironwork poking out from the ruin of wall where he was propped, attempting to maintain a stiff and unyielding stance in the face of Holly's careful and deliberate stimulation. Her efforts caused an unexpectedly poetic exhortation to erupt from the centaur.

"Zeus... commands! Hera implores! (Aghk!) By Hermes' fleet feet and... (gurkh) Hephaestus' fire! Kronos and Gaia! (Aigh!) Prometheus' gift! SCYLLA AND CHARIBDIS!"

Wet, white, sticky fluid erupted from the tip of Firenze's now reddened prick-tip in a forceful GUUSSSSSSSHHHHHHH. Holly was initially caught unprepared for the quantity and force of liquid which deflected off the stone wall to splash over her. Her face and shoulders were saturated before she could blindly grab the pail to collect the last of the flowing stream of Centaur semen. Holly continued milking Firenze's twitching erection until his groans and deep-lung gasps began to abate, along with the subsiding of his prodigious flow.

Firenze stumbled backwards from the wall before collapsing onto his side, knocking Holly to the ground by the unexpected movement. As Holly gathered herself up, she noticed with some irritation that moldy dead leaves and other forest detritus had become stuck to her where she was suffused with Firenze's spunk. Firenze looked up at Holly from the ground with a pained but sympathetic expression.

"Holly Evans, you..."

"Yeah, save it. We'll just not discuss this ever again for both our sakes, alright?"

"Thank you. Just... thank you."

"Your thanks are accepted, my friend." Holly gave Firenze a wry smile and then turned to trudge back towards the castle, carrying her pail in her long, spindly hands.

_**~o~**_

* * *

Holly entered into the room in the Chamber of Secrets they had set aside for potions work. She plunked the pail onto a worktable, startling Hermione out of her concentration. Hermione looked up at her with shock and concern.

"Holly! Whatever has happened to you?"

Holly gestured to the pail.

"This... is from Firenze. With love. You wanted to push the envelope, right? See what that brews up. I'm feeling a bit reckless. Also... sticky."

"B-but Holly, how did you-?"

Holly quickly shot up a leaf-covered arm to silence her friend's questioning.

"Nah-ah! I will simply say this. The truth is never as fun as the fantasy."


	17. 9506 Six Hours

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work. Especially this work.

**Spiral Tangent**: 'Six Hours' - You know you don't have to read this, right?

**SPOILER- for those who would rather skip the gruesome details, go to the end of the chapter for a Summary**

**Placement**: 24th June 1995; AFTER Chapter 49 - 'Coming of Age'

**What you need to know**: I, as the author, only enjoyed writing this from the perspective of demonstrating Holly's strength of spirit. This isn't a fantasy. Remember 'Striking Flint with Steel?' This is worse.

_**~[]~**_

* * *

Holly helped Cedric as they struggled past the strangling vines and into the center of the Maze. Sitting before them on a short marble pedestal was the Tri-Wizard Cup. They had only to touch it and wait for the others to get there. Once everyone was collected, the Cup would bring them back to the arena entrance.

"Looks like we're first, Ced."

Holly's teammate groaned. "Yeah, but I would have preferred to lose if it meant not having to swallow that thing."

Holly helped Cedric another few feet into the space and they collapsed next to the pedestal.

"Whiner. Acromantula venom is nothing to scoff at. The bezoar will be nothing but an unpleasant memory once you start celebrating Hufflepuff's victory."

"What do you mean? You deserve to win. You touch first."

"I told you before; I don't care about winning. You get the victory- I'm just happy to go home tonight."

"Just... we'll do it together."

"Won't Cho be upset? I mean, you're a dish and all, and it's not like I'm shy about stripping for the public..."

"Aiggh! You're obsessed! We'll touch the Cup together. Just let me... there." Cedric fished a coin out of his belt and tossed it into the bowl of the shining artifact. Holly looked at him curiously.

"I promised a friend I'd do that."

"Whatever."

Both champions reached up and grasped the Cup.

Immediately they were whisked out of reality by the lurching pull of a Portkey. The transport took a few seconds to deliver them forcefully into the heath of a graveyard. Holly had checked Cedric's expression during their flight- he was as surprised as she was by their destination.

Holly caught her breath and began to roll into a ready position but was struck by a red spell, knocking her unconscious. A second Stupefy struck Cedric as he turned to face their opponents. Newt scampered around their unconscious bodies and climbed a nearby obelisk.

Peter 'Wormtail' Pettigrew stood up from behind a tombstone and smiled. He moved around the headstone and carefully walked up to the two champions, poking at their cheeks with his wand.

"I believe they're stupefied."

From behind his previous cover, a milk-white creature like a deformed baby crawled out and began to hiss. "~Bring me to them, Nagini.~" An unusually large snake slithered between Riddle's stubby legs, and the ugly thing gripped onto the spine with a Sticking spell to ride the serpent.

Off in the distance in a lower part of the graveyard, the sound of a woman screaming and several men cheering could be heard.

The baby-thing spoke. "Gather our prizes, Wormtail. We must Turn back or we shall never get to enjoy that celebration we've been hearing since we arrived."

Wormtail sat Holly and Cedric up against each other. Once they and he were bunched together and the deformed Riddle baby had ridden the snake over to curl into Holly's lap, Wormtail lassoed the group with the gold chain of a Time Turner. Newt hopped onto Cedric's sleeve just in time; Pettigrew had cranked the center as far as it would go and let it loose.

Time pulled backward around them, the night receding back into afternoon. Once completed, Riddle once again 'mounted' his serpent steed to head towards the low point in the graveyard. Wormtail spooled up the Time Turner chain, Petrified both Holly and Cedric, and then levitated them down the hill.

They gathered near a mausoleum, in front of which a massive cauldron was set. Riddle propped himself atop a wide, flat-topped monument while Wormtail started the fire beneath the cauldron.

Riddle whispered in a strange garbled alto; "You must strip them down, Wormtail. Miss Evans is known for her trickery."

Wormtail turned to give his master an appreciative grin, and set to un-Petrifying the two. Cedric was quickly unclothed and then propped up against a tall memorial, where Riddle then lashed him in place with a sweep of a long, bony wand. Wormtail took his time with Holly, testing before removing each piece of clothing or jewelry and carefully placing it in a pile beside her limp form. Riddle spent the time directing the brewing in the cauldron, using his wand to add ingredients from a collection of bags and boxes nearby. Wormtail finished Holly's stripping, but kept pawing at her and turning her body, as if looking for additional hidden enchantments.

Nearly an hour later, Riddle spat out, "Enough of your lechery. Place her, so that we may restore my rightful form."

Holly was strapped, fully naked and ring-less, to a stone angel of death that loomed over their proceedings. Soon, Pettigrew was chanting through a ritual that sent a dread cold emanating from the cauldron's depths.

"_Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you shall restore your son_." A bone was levitated from a wooden box, set in front of the Mausoleum (the family name Riddle was carved above its door).

Wormtail grabbed a large hunting knife from its sheath at his hip and walked up to where Holly was hung. As he stretched the blade towards her, Riddle hissed at him. "Fool! You know the incantation- she must be awake to resist! _Rennervate_."

A shock seemed to pass through Holly and she stiffened up in her restraints. Almost immediately she winced from a searing pain on her forehead. While she tried to get her bearings, Wormtail continued his work.

"_Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you shall replenish your foe._"

Holly growled and twisted as Pettigrew cut along her calf, allowing blood to collect in the groove along the blade. He turned to flick the blade's bounty into the cauldron.

Holly made a very unladylike 'snerrrrrk' sound and spat in an arc from her position above. The bogey landed in the bubbling liquid at the same time as the blood dripping from Wormtail's knife. The cauldron's contents shifted to a reddish hue, but soon changed to a sickly orange.

Riddle grumbled in his twisted, high-pitched whisper. "Wormtail. Don't sever anything just yet. We have to rebrew."

Holly grinned madly until she was again Stupefied.

_**~o~**_

* * *

It took almost twenty minutes to properly re-cleanse the cauldron and restart the brewing. Another forty minutes passed as the actual simmering process achieved its proper tint. Wormtail had shifted Holly so that she was facing the dark stone angel this time.

"_Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you shall restore your son_."

"_Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you shall replenish your foe._" Holly had once again been revived, and continued to writhe under the influence of the worst migraine imaginable. She barely opened an eye long enough to catch sight of Newt, who was sitting on her arm's bindings with an imploring look. They traded a quick conversation, and Holly attempted to relax.

"_Flesh of the servant, freely offered, you shall resurrect your master!_" Wormtail followed this last incantation by slicing off his own hand with the hunting knife. The hand dropped into the brew and the liquid's colour changed to bright red, as if lit from the fires of Hell below.

Wormtail shuffled over and picked up the Riddle baby, holding him up with a bloody stump for one hand and his knife in the other. As Pettigrew lifted up the baby to drop it into the roiling cauldron, Riddle screeched out, "Wait! WAIT!"

Looking down, they could see that the liquid was quickly turning puke-green. Following the source of the liquid draining into the cauldron from its lip, they saw a lizard-shaped imp turning from yellow to grey as it released Holly's urine into the brew.

Wormtail bumbled with the Riddle-baby, attempting to not lose his grip upon his master while he was held so precariously over this rancid solution. Riddle was dropped to the side and Wormtail ran around the cauldron, looking for where the ink imp had run off to.

Holly cackled for a moment before wincing in pain from her scar. A Stupefy struck her soon after.

_**~o~**_

* * *

Now operating with only one hand, it took hours for Wormtail to cauterize his wound, re-place Riddle in a position to oversee things, empty and cleanse the cauldron and ready for another go.

Riddle roused Holly. She was now strapped to a foot-wide stone pillar with her arms anchored above her head. Above was relative, as the pillar had been upended and so Holly hung by the bonds around her ankles, facing the bottom of the Mausoleum door. Riddle sat below her.

"It appears that you are a student of alchemy, Miss Evans. You have shown admirable ingenuity, but my rise this day is inevitable. You know this. I know this. Rather than continue in this struggle, perhaps we can come to an accord."

Holly ground her teeth. Inside her mind, the splinter of Riddle's hate was jumping and screaming like a lunatic asylum patient. She had to concentrate just to hear.

"H-how do you f-f-figure?"

Riddle softly replied, "You have seen the stars; you have stirred the entrails; however you know it, I know that you know it. I offer this; I will swear not to harm your friend, the other champion, if you will simply allow my plans to come to fruition this day."

"N-no deal. Spare my life, too, or it's... a dozen monkey-wrenches until the Solstice is done... and you're stuck looking like a seawater-bloated abortion."

Riddle responded tersely, "You have HEARD the ritual- we have to harm you."

"Didn't say health- promise to protect Cedric from harm, and... (groan) vow that neither you nor your minions will kill or cripple me; I will vow not to attack you or interfere with your... (urgk) ...plans IN THIS PLACE until midnight. You leave, and I'm free to act. You hurt him, I act. Someone looks to get lethal or ruin some part of me, I act."

"Interesting. Why would you offer such a compromise?"

"D-don't want to die. Should be able to f-f-fight soon, but you're right- you'll rise. Maybe this way we go our ways and are done. Your argument's with Albus."

"Don't you want to kill me? I murdered your mother, after all."

"Casualty of war. Don't cross me after, and you'll see how little vengeance means to me."

From a distance, Wormtail shouted out "AHA!" A flame erupted from his wand and small shriek made Holly twist her body to see the cause. She caught the last moments of Newt burning and bubbling down to just a gooey scorch mark at the edge of a tombstone with the name 'Crichton'.

Riddle smiled. "I agree to your terms. Let it be a vow between us. I so swear."

Holly turned back to look at the deformed creature beneath her, tears streaming down along her forehead. "(Sniff) I so swear."

_**~o~**_

* * *

"Hurry up, Wormtail!"

The Riddle-thing was suspended above the cauldron by one of its feet. Pettigrew finally succeeded in slicing off his big toe and adding it to the brew. He then tremulously aimed his wand at his suspended master and said, "_Liberacorpus_."

The gruesome thing fell into the broth and the world itself seemed to churn with discontent. What Holly had been feeling from her scar as the worst migraine imaginable now rose in volume and fury to the feeling of a molten spike being hammered into her third eye. Cedric didn't seem to fare much better; though he was gagged, he successfully vomited past the cloth onto his bare chest.

The cauldron itself was consumed in the dark cloud of Riddle's rebirth. He stretched forth, a pale, noseless, hairless being... with both sets of genitalia and a modest pair of breasts. Holly might have been amused, but the burning piston on her skull had her attention. Once properly reformed, Riddle gathered smoke and mist about him until he was clothed in a heavy black hooded robe.

And then he disappeared.

Wormtail shuffled forward to where the Dark Lord had been standing, mewling, "Master, my Master! Here is your wand."

Holly finally wrested some control over her screaming invader-spirit and took another unfocused look towards where Riddle should be standing, only she couldn't see anything there. No one stood there, but she could feel his presence, nonetheless.

Within her mind, Holly shouted a protest. 'If I can't find him, I can't fucking hit him. He is impossible to target. I... I can't beat him.'

From somewhere to her left, Holly heard a ghostly voice call out, "Come to me, my Death Eaters!"

While Holly couldn't see Riddle, she could see a bony wand applied to Wormtail's forearm tattoo, making it slither and glow.

Within minutes, several meteors of black smoke plummeted into their clearing, each one coalescing into a black-robed person wearing an ornate mask. Each one bowed towards the West where Holly was fairly sure Riddle was standing, and then moved to a position in a semi-circle of several rows. They stood quietly as more of these wraith-forms appeared.

A quick check by Holly confirmed that the Anti-Apparation Jinx was still in effect. Whatever this was, it wasn't that. Her feeble attempt at clear thinking was once more drowned out by screams within her head.

While waiting for his minions to arrive, the Dark Lord performed a small miracle, granting Wormtail a fully-functioning replacement hand fashioned like silver. Black-cloaked minions shared a few whispers of awe.

Finally, however many faithful he expected had arrived, and Holly could hear Riddle address his troops. Even the splinter in her skull was interested in what he wanted to say.

"My friends. I am so happy to see you all come so promptly to celebrate my resurrection."

One figure mumbled, "Not all..."

"Avery, are you concerned with the absence of some of our trusted comrades? Fear not; those who are missing are not expected... or will be dealt with. Instead, prepare yourselves for a return to glory! A return to power! A return to strength!"

The assembled rose up in cheer from the speech, and quieted just as quickly to allow their master to continue.

"I have arranged for a 'coming back' party, one that will stun the magical world into submission. We have gathered this day to celebrate my rebirth, but tonight, we shall revel in our latest victory! In a short while, the Cup that brought my two visitors here to help..." at this, the Death Eaters laughed.

"...yes, they have been most helpful. Their conveyance will bring us back into the arena at Hogwarts, where we shall rain down destruction on the coddlers of mudbloods and muggles, from both the school and the Ministry."

Another cheer, slightly less enthusiastic.

"We should thank our helpers! Allow me to introduce you. This is Cedric Diggory." Cedric was highlighted by a nimbus of yellow. He looked around in a panic, but couldn't shift far with his bonds so tightly knotted.

"Mr. Diggory comes from a poor but decent family and has done us no particular wrong. We shall spare him of any trouble. Our other guest is of rather more interest."

Holly's body, still suspended by her feet from the pillar leaning on the Mausoleum door, was flipped up and levitated to the center of the proceedings.

"This is Holly. Black Holly. The Unholy Evans. Lady Holly Jade Evans of the House of Black. Tell me, my friends, does she appeal to you?"

Several low chuckles rumbled up, but another voice barked out, "She's a half-blood lesbianist whore!"

"Ah, Jugson. You should not judge her so harshly. She has provided for my return by her own vow of non-aggression. She doesn't threaten us. At least for now."

Holly relaxed a little in her restraints.

"Still, the Portkey won't be ready for a while. Rape her."

The cloaked figures went quiet, several having made a half-step backward.

The Dark Lord must have appeared upset, as his following command was unusually venomous, as well as magically reinforced. "Maybe you didn't hear me. I said, '_RAPE HER_'."

Holly growled out, "Riddle..."

"Do not speak that name. I am the Dark Lord. You are the stupid bint that promised to abide by my plans so long as you weren't killed or crippled. I always intended to have you raped."

"FUckkkk-"

Holly found her throat swelling under the influence of some spell- she could barely breathe through her nose, but speaking was definitely not happening.

By this point, several of the cloaked figures had removed her from the pillar, while another cast the Ragdoll hex to disrupt her muscular control.

While his minions prepared some sort of multi-tiered table (apparently, they had a practiced and proved set of arrangements for this sort of party), Riddle continued his explanation. "What most of you could not know is that I have been tortured by this slut over the last few months. As she lay with man, woman and beast, her ecstasy was my torture. Every pleasure for her was like fire ripping through my veins. Suffice to say... I owe her some pain."

Holly felt the first cloaked molester splay her legs out wide. The heavy-set man leaned forward to gaze at Holly through his mask.

MacNair taunted, "Well, well, my little dearie. It seems we're to have our time together at last!" and he penetrated her with a hefty thrust into her un-lubricated quim. She would have screamed, she would have fought, but all she could do was feel, as he thrust into her again and again.

While MacNair raped her nethers, another masked figure began massaging her breasts. Her nipples involuntarily came to points, and the Death Eater laughed. He took off his glove and slapped the sensitive flesh at a different interval than MacNair's thrusts. His slaps increased in frequency as the skin grew red from the abuse.

A third cloaked figure approached her other side. He chose to relieve his bladder across her face.

In her unfocused vision, far past the shifting bulk of black cloaks, she thought she could see Cedric, still strapped to a statue, forced to stare as she was violated.

Riddle must have seen it too, as his voice now emanated from behind Cedric. "You can't look away, can you? Oh, you could, but you won't. You won't."

Cedric continued to stare as MacNair bellowed out in triumph (and orgasm).

Three more men moved to replace the first ones. They chose to shift Holly's body position to their advantage. One tilted her head back and drove in his cock while two (who must have been close enough to not mind sharing) twisted her pelvis sideways to allow each to penetrate an orifice in rhythm. Cunt, arse; cunt, arse; throat, throat, throat. A fourth stepped up and nudged the oral rapist away 'to demonstrate'; he inserted his cock into her mouth, grabbed hold of her head and rapidly shoved it onto his erection like a reversed jackhammer.

Cedric cried, but continued to stare.

_**~o~**_

* * *

"Well, you know the fun is dwindling when Wormtail gets a cheer."

The silver-handed little man finished his thrusting with a roar that others mimicked in a cheer. Holly's body lay splayed on the stone table with cuts and bruises covering her. Blood and other fluids dripped from her skin onto the grass.

The Dark Lord came close enough to whisper in her ear. "Release her from the hexes. I'd like her to speak."

Holly's body was released from their control, and she immediately doubled up and turned to vomit onto the ground.

"I'm sorry. Did you drink too much, my dear?"

The Death Eaters laughed and followed around her as she rolled off the table and retched again. Her body was overcome with convulsions from overused and torn muscles. Her lips were cracked and torn.

Riddle spoke with pleasant, airy quality. "Please understand, Miss Evans. This wasn't personal. In fact, now that you've gone through our 'hazing ritual', you can become one of us! Would you like that? To have the power to punish others for your suffering, and the freedom to indulge your every whim? I can give that to you. Think about it. We'll be back in a few hours to see about your response. Wormtail, petrify her. The rest, stow your john-thomases and follow me."

Holly wrested control of her voice from her pain and fear. Still, her skull was filled with screaming, but she had adjusted to the volume a bit.

"D-done so soon? Tell me, Devo. Why make everyone else do the work? C-can't get it up?"

"What? What did you call me?"

"Immortal Lord Devo. It's a much better anagram. At least, it would have been until nineteen se-seventy-eight or so."

"You will address me as 'my Lord'!"

"R-really? Sure it's not... milady? Tell me, can you even get an erection anymore?"

"You will stop this-"

"Breasts too tender, maybe?"

"_CRUCIO_!"

Pain erupted across Holly's body, torturing every nerve that she had. Even so, it didn't feel as bad as when Quirrel had hit her with it. Nonetheless, she screamed.

The Death Eaters threw out a cheer as their master hit Holly again with the torture curse.

Her screams continued for a moment after the spell let up. Riddle's voice teased, "Hurts, doesn't it?"

Holly dribbled blood and spit from her mouth but smiled all the same. "Are you k-k-kidding? I f-finally climaxed."

"_CRUCIO_!"

Holly's breathing after the cessation of this round was having difficulty due to her heart pumping in double time- not from the pain, but from the strange build-up of tension on her scar. The voice of the splinter was growing quiet, and Holly felt stronger.

"C-c'mon, Devo. My muggle uncle did worse with a car battery and an icewater bath!"

"_CRUCIO_!"

"_CRUCIO_!"

"_CRUCIO_!"

The third time Holly felt nothing, but that was because Riddle had chosen to target Cedric instead. The boy's screams filled the night sky. The Death Eaters turned to watch him squirm under the Torturous Curse.

Holly felt the oath between her and Riddle break.

_**~o~**_

* * *

The attention of the assembled was drawn back towards Holly when she used a broken-off piece of tapered marble to cave in the skull of one of the Death Eaters in the back of the mob. The one next to him shouted, "Nott? Fucking Hell!"

Holly hadn't waited for a response, immediately taking Nott's wand and ducking between the headstones. With a moment's concentration, she was Disillusioned again.

The Death Eaters fanned out, following gestures of instruction from two of them who stayed near the center. Holly ducked between the stones to aid in her stealth, heading further South towards a manor on a hill nearby. Once she had some distance, she threw a series of cutting hexes at the closest two opponents. One growled in pain as his arm was sliced open; the other shielded her spells and called the others towards their location.

With the bulk heading to track her down, Holly reversed and headed West, then North, tacking back towards Cedric. She set off some timed bludgeoning hexes that sent pieces of marble and basalt flying into the Death Eaters.

Sensing no one ahead, she snuck up to where Cedric was strapped to the statue, weeping and breathing heavily. Once close enough to whisper, she did so.

"Can you Apparate?"

Cedric goggled but whispered back, "Holly? I... I've tried it before. No promises."

She released his shackles. "Good enough. I'll Silence and Disillusion you. You RUN. When you make it beyond the graveyard, try to Apparate home. Devon should be a much quicker hop than Hogsmeade. Then floo the Aurors."

"Understo-AGHKK!"

Cedric's naked body was lifted up into the air twenty feet as if by some invisible hand around his throat. He struggled, choking. Before Holly could react, she found her world turning topsy-turvy, with no ability to find her balance. She then collided heavily with several sharp stone markers, hard enough to break an arm and scrape her face bloody. A second later she was stretched backwards over a 6-foot stone sphere with her hands and feet mummified in strangling roots. Pain once again drowned out most of her conscious thought- the roots were still pulling back, stretching her limbs from their sockets.

She could hear Riddle shout, "My friends, the party is back here."

_**~o~**_

* * *

The Death Eaters quickly reconvened near the Mausoleum.

Riddle used his power to shake Cedric's body in the air several times, and then drop him forcefully onto the ground in front of Holly.

"It seems our agreement has been broken. I am very disappointed, Miss Evans."

Cedric clambered up to kneeling, but was forced to all fours with a gesture Holly couldn't see. Cedric looked panicked as his own limbs shifted outside of his control to present his bare arse to the sky.

"Since Mr. Diggory has been left out of the festivities up until now, we shall see about 'catching him up.' A number of you are prone to enjoy such entertainments; please, step forward."

Six of the masked men moved towards the front of the assembly, once more strapping back the bottom half of their robes to provide free movement for their hardening manhoods.

Cedric looked at Holly with an overwhelming dread. Holly could hear his thoughts, as desperately as he was thinking them.

'No! I can't! They can't! I can't go through what she did; I... I'm still a virgin!'

Riddle barked out, "Wait!"

His men stopped their advance.

"It occurs to me that young Mr. Diggory might prefer to earn his freedom from us. All you have to do, Mr. Diggory, is kill Miss Evans." Wormtail's hunting knife dropped point-first into the ground between Holly and Cedric.

"Kill her, and I promise to let you leave... unmolested." His men jeered and laughed at the humour.

Cedric trembled in fear and confusion. Not quite knowing why, he gently pulled the knife from the ground and shuffled forward to look at Holly.

Holly's eyes swirled and glowed, drawing Cedric in to stare at them. He found himself leaning forward until their foreheads touched. At the same time, Cedric brought the knife blade up to press against Holly's throat.

Riddle cackled. "A moment of intimacy, before you choose? I'll allow it."

Cedric whispered, "Holly, I can't..."

Holly concentrated. A moment later, she shouted.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

... and Cedric toppled backwards, dead. The lingering green light from the spell left his forehead like smoke.

The Death Eaters stood stunned. Holly strained to break free of her tethers, but she suddenly heard a sibilant whispering, and her own tongue was pulled to stretch out of her mouth until taut.

She saw Wormtail's hunting knife spin through the air from Cedric's lifeless grip to hang before her eyes. Riddle whispered, "Enough of you."

Her tongue was severed near the root. The pain was horrible, but more pressing was the sudden flood of blood in her mouth, threatening to drown her. Holly concentrated, hoping to heal the wound.

The Death Eaters cheered when Riddle whipped the tongue into the air like a celebratory streamer. It landed some feet away, only to be retrieved by Wormtail to some laughter.

"Anyone else want a piece of her? We've certainly been inconvenienced enough to justify keeping a trophy from this one."

MacNair stepped forward. "Please, My Lord. 'This one' owes me an eye."

A cheer went up and MacNair took hold of the hunting knife. He strolled forward and stood there for a moment. With little ado, the knife was plunged into her left eye, but not far enough to take anything but her vision. He pulled the knife away in an arc, cutting her face open near the socket.

A second cheer greeted his roar of victory. MacNair turned back and crouched in front of Holly.

"I should take the other one, too. Maybe the Dark Lord will reward me, allow me to keep you, my little dearie. I'll put you in your own cage, where I can feed you and teach you tricks. Would you like that?"

Holly stared at MacNair's eyes through his mask. Her right eye swirled and glowed, drawing him in, making him stare back.

'MacNair.'

'You- you can't be in my mind. The Dark Lord protects me!'

'I'm not invading; we're just having a chat at your entrance.'

'Get out of-'

'YOU OWE ME!'

'...'

'You owe me a Duelists' debt.'

'Maybe I do. You can't ask me to defy the Dark Lord for it, though.'

'Kill me. I'm fucking mutilated- just kill me, and your debt is cleared.'

'But-'

'Kill me, Walden.'

'...'

'Kill me...'

**~o~**

* * *

They could see Holly slump in defeat. Riddle dissipated his conjured sphere, leaving Holly chained by the binding roots, kneeling on the ground in front of MacNair.

Holly knelt on the grass. She could feel terrible pain in her joints and her nethers. She was cold, naked and afraid. She squeezed her eyes shut and found herself whispering, "I love you all." Visions of the women and men she loved flashed through her mind. Natalia. Hermione. Minerva. Hedwig. Newt. Neville. Luna. Padma. Sirius. Remus. Poppy. Florean. Fleur. Violet. Prestwick. Pog...

...and little Mayday.

Perhaps it was the resolve of the doomed finally bringing her some calm, but Holly then found herself caught up in a single thought;

'This is really an inopportune moment for another bout of Déjà-vu.'

_**~o~**_

* * *

Walden MacNair took three steps back from facing Holly and spat at her ruined body. He dropped the knife, drew his wand and incanted, "Avadaaaaa..."

Riddle lurched forward, screeching, "MacNair, NO!"

"...KEDAVRA!"

A charge of green light arced between MacNair's wand and Holly's scar. MacNair's body filled with an eerie light emanating from his pores and orifices, and then he exploded into a bright green ball of fire. It burned up four others standing near him, plus one recently resurrected Dark Lord. Several others were burned as well, stuck trying to Apparate until Riddle's jinx fell with the destruction of his body.

Holly was also caught in the blast and fell backwards, reeling in pain. Her hair burned and her skin cooked into a paper-thin covering.

_**~o~**_

* * *

Holly could hear men moaning. One shouted, "The Dark Lord! He... he..." and another answered, "He is gone, burned like the others! Exeunt, lads!"

Multiple pops signaled a mass exodus.

Holly twitched a few times, lying where she had landed, her mind on fire from pain.

Several minutes later, she heard another 'pop' and the 'whoosh' of a broom rider overhead. She heard Harry whisper 'Oh, Morgana,' along with a gasp.

Harry landed and then stalked carefully into the blasted area, trying to understand what was being seen. He morphed into Natalia, and her pace increased as she saw bodies at the center.

She soon tripped over the corpse of Cedric Diggory. "Oh, fucking Hell. H-holly? Where are you, sweetie?"

Her worst fears were revealed to her, several yards further in. Natalia cried out and rushed forward, tripping again into kneeling a few feet away from Holly's charred body.

"No! Nonononono-"

Holly gurgled.

"Oh Shite! You're alive? (Blooorgghhh!)"

Once finished being sick on the grass nearby, Natalia crawled over, a mix of worry and horror etched in her face. She looked down on the burnt body, holding a hand to her mouth.

Holly opened her right eye, startling Nat once more.

After taking control of her hyperventilating, Natalia carefully crawled up so that she could look straight into her eye, while trying to ignore the state of the surrounding person.

'Holly?'

'(LOVE! RELIEF!) Focus... eye. (PAIN!)'

'Sweetie, what am I to do?'

'Cup... up the hill... is Portkey. Be... Harry.'

'Is Newt with you?'

'(GRIEF!)... Crichton... flames... (PAIN!)'

'I'll leave a tracker and take us back. What do I tell them?'

'Truth... what you see. Poppy... (PAIN! PAIN! PAIN! PAIN! PAIN!)'

Natalia sat back on her heels, weeping so much that she could barely aim her wand at Holly. "_Dormus_, my love."

Holly sank into sweet oblivious sleep.

Natalia dried her eyes and then shifted back into Harry. He carefully moved Cedric's body over to where Holly was laid. An '_Accio Tri-Wizard Cup_' later, they disappeared from the graveyard with a flash.

_**~o~**_

Almost an hour passed in silence in the graveyard. It was broken by the quiet scurrying of a rat with a silver paw. The rat ran towards the center of the wreckage and stopped. After a few looks around, it grew into the shape of a short, balding man in scorched robes.

Wormtail surveyed the scene once more, and then started moving between the bodies left behind. He retrieved masks and wands and also burnt away tattoos on their forearms where necessary. Once that was accomplished, he entered the Mausoleum.

Wormtail came back out carrying a wood box filled with dirt-covered bones and a pile of clothing and jewelry. Seeing its approach, he knelt down to allow a very large snake to slither up and around his neck. He turned suddenly as he heard multiple pops of wizards arriving by Apparition. With a moment's concentration, he Disapparated.

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* * *

SPOILER, so you can skip reading the above**:

Holly is captured at the conclusion of the Third Task of the Tri-School Wizardry Tournament and brought to the Little Hangleton graveyard, where she does everything in her power to screw up the creation of Riddle's new body. Despite her efforts Riddle rises again, Newt is burned onto a headstone and the Death Eaters are summoned to renew their activities. Riddle commands them to start with gang-raping Holly.

At a critical juncture, Holly attempts to escape with Cedric but is recaptured. When they threaten to torture Cedric worse than Holly had just suffered, she kills him with a wandless Killing Curse. Riddle severs her tongue to prevent further trouble from her. Their plan to invade Hogwarts using the return Portkey is interrupted when Holly convinces MacNair to finish her with the Killing Curse. The backlash from his spell being deflected by Lily's protection incinerates his body. The explosion of MacNair destroys Riddle's new body, kills several other attendees, and burns the rest, including Holly.

Now that you know this you can skip the chapter.

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End file.
